Midnight North

Peter Garrett has spent a lifetime exploring the beaten and unbeaten tracks that run through this country and its people. In March 2024 he will release a new solo album called The True North. It’s a deeply personal reflection on his singular journey, drawing inspiration and sustenance from the living colours of Australia’s natural environment and the sights and sounds of modern Oz.

Naxos has collected its four volume traversal of the lute music into a handy slipcase. All the volumes are available singly, but you can also buy the four together as a quartet of excellence, presided over by Nigel North, the acknowledged hero of the hour. What follows is a reprise of two volumes already reviewed - volumes 1 and 3 - and a look at volumes 2 and 4.

With a voice as powerful as Crystal Shawanda's, it's hard to imagine she would wind up performing anything other than Blues. From deeply soulful ballads to knock-you-on-your-butt R&B, Crystal's energy and love of blues and soul comes out in every performance. As a songwriter Crystal and her creative partner, producer Dewayne Strobel understand how to build a great song around her ability to wring an immersive emotional experience out of each lyric.Following her 2021 JUNO win for Best Blues Album, Crystal Shawanda returns with Midnight Blues coming out on True North Records on Sept 30. Featuring the song of the summer "How Bad Do You Want It" with 6 new original songs and 4 covers, Crystal's take on Willie Dixon's "Evil" and Buddy Guy's "What Kind of Man" twists each into a woman's point of view.