Verdi’s Requiem is a work of white-hot dramatic intensity, infused with his lifetime of composing opera. His approach to religion is explosive, emotional, and full of temperament and fear, the latter being wonderfully conveyed by López-Cobos in this concert performance.
Ambroisie presents a new edition of one of Handel's Italian period masterpieces, Rodrigo, with an exceptional cast led by Maria Riccarda Wesserling in the title role, María Bayo as his wife Esilena, Sharon Rostorf-Zamir as his young lover Florinda and Max Emanuel Cencic as Fernando. Following Amadigi di Gaula earlier this year, Rodrigo is the second Handel opera on the label conducted by Eduardo López Banzo. The release follows a European tour with the same cast and orchestra, Al Ayre Español, resulting in an interpretation that will undoubtedly lead to a new understanding of the piece almost exactly 300 years after it was written.
A truly wonderful advanced hard bop date, Wahoo captures pianist Duke Pearson at his most adventurous and creative. With the exception of Donald Byrd's closing "Fly Little Bird Fly," Pearson wrote all of the material on this six-song album, and his compositions are clever, melodic, and unpredictable without being cloying or inaccessible. He has assembled a first-rate sextet to perform the material, enlisting trumpeter Byrd, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Bob Cranshaw, alto saxophonist/flautist James Spaulding, and drummer Mickey Roker. Even the subdued "Wahoo" and "ESP" search out new territory with their subtle themes and exploratory solo sections. The key to the success of Wahoo is that Duke Pearson is a gifted arranger, creating nimble, challenging arrangements that are accessible, but reveal more details upon each listen…
Verdi’s Requiem is a work of white-hot dramatic intensity, infused with his lifetime of composing opera. His approach to religion is explosive, emotional, and full of temperament and fear, the latter being wonderfully conveyed by López-Cobos in this concert performance.
A truly wonderful advanced hard bop date, Wahoo captures pianist Duke Pearson at his most adventurous and creative. With the exception of Donald Byrd's closing "Fly Little Bird Fly," Pearson wrote all of the material on this six-song album, and his compositions are clever, melodic, and unpredictable without being cloying or inaccessible. He has assembled a first-rate sextet to perform the material, enlisting trumpeter Byrd, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Bob Cranshaw, alto saxophonist/flautist James Spaulding, and drummer Mickey Roker. Even the subdued "Wahoo" and "ESP" search out new territory with their subtle themes and exploratory solo sections. The key to the success of Wahoo is that Duke Pearson is a gifted arranger, creating nimble, challenging arrangements that are accessible, but reveal more details upon each listen…
J to tha L–O! The Remixes is a remix album by American singer Jennifer Lopez, released February 5, 2002 by Epic Records. It contains remixes from Lopez's first two studio albums: On the 6 (1999) and J.Lo (2001). It features artists including P. Diddy, Ja Rule, Fat Joe and Nas, and includes dance and hip hop remixes of past singles. It was Lopez's second album to feature a Parental Advisory warning, after J.Lo, and the last to have one until the release of her eighth studio album, A.K.A., in 2014. It garnered mixed reviews from music critics, but debuted atop the Billboard 200 in the United States, selling 156,000 copies in its opening week—the first remix album to reach the chart's top spot, and Lopez's second number-one album. The lead single "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)", featuring Ja Rule, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100; and its second, "I'm Gonna Be Alright (Track Masters Remix)", reached the top ten. It also contained the song "Alive", which failed to chart. J to tha L–O! The Remixes became the fourth best-selling remix album of all time, after Michael Jackson, Madonna and Linkin Park's remix efforts. It has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States.
Diana Damrau gave her first performance as Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at the Metropolitan Opera in October 2008, to much critical acclaim. This recording with the Munich Opera followed almost five years later, in July 2013, showing that she has staying power in the ultimate coloratura role. The Munich performance was conducted by Jesús López-Cobos, and Damrau was joined by an exceptional cast, which included Joseph Calleja as Edgardo, Ludovic Tézier as Enrico, and Nicolas Testé as Raimondo.