L'altroquotidiano 24.08.2010

Yaron Herman blends elements of jazz, classical, and the music of his native Israel in this intriguing trio session with bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Tommy Crane. The trio's delicious opener is "Follow the White Rabbit," which makes deft use of repeated riffs and often seems inspired by Keith Jarrett's trio recordings. His tense "Saturn Returns" defies categorization, as it freely draws from many diverse styles. Herman's solo piano vehicle "Cadenza" is dramatic with classical overtones, yet it sounds as if it were improvised on the spot in the studio. While there are no standards, Herman's inspired choice and tender interpretation of the neglected gem "Baby Mine" - written by Frank Churchill and Ned Washington for the Disney film Dumbo…

Five CD box set containing a quintet of their albums housed together in an attractive slipcase: Chicago Transit Authority (1969), Chicago II (1970), Chicago V (1972), Chicago VI (1973) and Chicago VII (1974). While Chicago are oft remembered as a Pop/Rock hit making machine, their musical roots were Jazz-oriented and this quintet of albums features the band blending their commercial sensibilities with their excellent Jazz/Rock musicianship

Universal’s 2010 collection Icon rounds up recordings Johnny Cash made during his stint on Mercury in the ‘80s, which means that the versions of “I Walk the Line,” “Cry Cry Cry,” “Guess Things Happen That Way,” “Get Rhythm,” “Hey Porter,” “Wanted Man,” “Ring of Fire,” and “Folsom Prison Blues” included here are not the original hit versions. They’re perfectly fine remakes supported by such ‘80s vintage recordings as “The Night Hank Williams Came to Town” and a cover of Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle.” This will inevitably be a let-down for those looking for the originals, but they’re solid versions and this collection is enjoyable for what it is.

The Divine Baze Orchestra was founded by Oliver Eek (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Christian Eklöf (drums, percussion) in 2003 immediately followed by Alexander Frisborg (lead vocals, mellotron, rhythm guitar) and Tobias Petterson (bass). In the beginning the band's sound was similar to many of the heavy, fuzzy bands of the late 60's and early 70's, but as time passed, they were more and more drawn towards the experimental, psychedelic and jazz-oriented bands of the same era. After a few years of intense giging in the space of Sweden Daniel Karlsson (organ, mellotron) joined The Divine Baze Orchestra and the band entered a new sound dimension. The completed line-up now could also explore symphonic sound landscapes with the power of the organ behind them and it took some time to rearrange the old material to be suited to the new instruments…

Giacomo Antonio Perti (6 June 1661 – 10 April 1756) was an Italian composer of the Baroque era. He was mainly active at Bologna, where he was Maestro di Cappella for sixty years. He was the teacher of Giuseppe Torelli and Giovanni Battista Martini.

The Grosses Festpielhaus in Salzburg has been the scene of countless memorable musical events - operas, concerts and recitals - for 50 years. Here is a unique chance to celebrate the glories of this distinguished era. In an exceptional collaboration with the Salzburg Festival, we have prepared a 25-CD box set - 5 complete operas, 10 concerts and 2 recitals - featuring many of the world's greatest artists, in recordings with classical status and others that are appearing on CD for the first time. Concerts (five out of ten are first-time releases): with Abbado, Bernstein, B hm, Boulez, Karajan, Levine, Mehta, Muti, Solti. Soloists include Anne-Sophie Mutter and Jessye Norman.

The success of his first opéra comique Le Huron (1769) won André-Modeste Grétry the high esteem and personal friendship of the Dauphine, after which the French court opened its doors to him and several of his works were performed there in succession. Official confirmation of his status came in 1773, when Louis XV and his court commissioned him to write a large-scale work for a special occasion: this was to be Céphale et Procris.

Sade’s longest absence yet did not prevent their return from being an event. It at least seemed eventful whenever “Soldier of Love,” released to radio a couple months prior to the album of the same title, was heard over the airwaves. Even with its brilliantly placed lyrical allusions to hip-hop past and present and its mature sound, the single stuck out on stations aimed at teens and twentysomethings, as well as points on the dial that court an older audience. It was the most musical and organic, while also the most dramatic yet least bombastic, song in rotation. Crisp snare rolls, cold guitar stabs, and at least a dozen other elements were deployed with tremendous economy, suspensefully ricocheting off one another as Sade Adu rewrote “Love Is a Battlefield” with scarred, assured defiance.

It was a recommendation of ACT guitarist Nguyên Lê that first brought the French baritone saxophonist Céline Bonacina to the attention of label boss Siggi Loch.
Céline Bonacina studied in Belfort, Besançon and Paris. She won numerous prizes for her saxophone playing and gained her first jazz experience in Parisian big bands. She worked with artists such as the Cuban pianist Omar Sosa and the saxophonist Andy Sheppard. Céline Bonacina’s debut album, Vue d’en Haut, was widely acclaimed by the French jazz press and its success lead to appearences at French jazz festivals. One of the most well known of these, Jazz á Vienne, voted her, in 2009, the winner of its Jazz Competition - the prize a festival performance in 2010 and production of her new album Way of Life…