Paul Wee

Charles-Valentin Alkan made his name as pianist in nineteenth-century Paris and seemed poised for a glittering career. But following a series of setbacks he withdrew into a life of relative seclusion, and as he receded from the public eye, so too did his music. It was never entirely forgotten, but it was not until the 1960s and 1970s that Alkan’s works began to emerge from obscurity. To quote the liner notes by Paul Wee, ‘Alkan’s music exhibits a formidable grasp of form and structure, a strong command of melody, a high sense of drama and an unprecedented exploitation of the capabilities of the piano.’

When eccentric man-child Pee-Wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life.

This a fabulous Paul Horn album, but you must accept that it is something of a "period piece" which was designed to have broad, mass, commercial appeal at that time (1966) and, for whatever reason, simply didn't (and I like to think that that was because it was simply too good! Paul's tone on the flute, alto flute and bass flute (often rendered without any vibrato at all) is gorgeous and his musical concept is unique. The tunes are very short, so he doesn't get a chance to stretch out much, but it does't really matter, because the stark simplicity in his lines (both on the heads and the improvising) is every bit as bold as it is striking. And (you may be surprised to hear me say this but I mean it) his musical style has the same stark clarity, simplicity and honesty that I have only heard from John Coltrane on the classic Ballads album.

On this release, Paul Hillier and Ars Nova Copenhagen continue their exploration of Danish vocal music. The main work here, Line Tjornhojs Vox Reportage, was composed in close co-operation with the artists, and weaves various sources together including 1981 Nobel laureate Elias Canetti, Chelsea Manning, and Rabiahal Adawiyya (8th-century Iraq) to create a reportage on the nature of humanity over the past thousand years. In Carl Nielsens Three Motets, Renaissance polyphony and the composers more personal style are molded into something fresh and powerful; the Swedish Romantic composer Stenhammarsets Danish texts, while Holmboesets British border ballads. Everything about this album crosses borders of one kind or another!

"Miles & Monk at Newport" was a combined album of a Miles Davis appearance at Newport with an appearance of Thelonious Monk, from the LP era. Despite the title, the two artists do not perform together on the LP, and they are represented on each side by separate live appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival.

"Paul Carrack returns with a brand new studio album and is ready to reach new heights with 'These Days.'