Nino Sevilha

Seventh album from Carlos Niño, the Los Angeles polymath, enlists trusted friends to mould another astral, Afro-futuristic suite of unrelenting beauty which teeters at the edge of New Age and spiritual jazz.

Franco Corelli's charismatic Don Josè finally available on home video in this 1956 production with the great tenor in his early prime. Carmen is sung by Belén Amparan and Anselmo Colzani contributes a swaggering Escamillo.

This is a fine selection of Nino Rota's film scores , with 'La Strada' and 'Il Gattopardo'. The 'La Strada' is , in fact, a seven movement suite from the ballet which Rota adapted for the stage using his filmscore. Rota's ability to both supply big tunes and provide ironic comment in his scores is in evidence here. Gianluigi Gelmetti gets big, bold playing from his Monte Carlo orchestra. He gets committed playing that suits the pieces here, especially the splendid 'Il Gattopardo'. The sound is warm and big scale, particularly for the 'Waterloo' and 'War and Peace' items.

Altogether a pleasure. These are bright, capable, affectionate, well-pointed performances in good sound, with soloists who sound totally at home with the music…

Alessandro Scarlatti was both the most celebrated vocal composer of his day, and one of the most prolific to ever live. In his lifetime (1660-1725) he composed nearly 700 cantatas and 66 operas. He was also far more famous then than his son Domenico, whose harpsichord sonatas today have all but completely eclipsed his father's works.