Satanik 162

Serge Gainsbourg - L'Essentiel Des Albums Studio 1958-1987 (2011) {Mercury 277 162-7 - 14 Albums On 12 CDs}
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© 1958-87, 2011 Mercury / Universal Music France | 277 162-7
Pop / International / Chanson / French Pop / French Rock / Western European Traditions / Cabaret

Being familiar with some of his work (basically the hit songs) I had no idea of the legacy this brilliant man has left behind. To my complete surprise this (ridiculously low priced) box set opened a new musical world before my ears and from the very first listening I have felt madly and hopelessly in love with Serge Gainsbourg's music. The quality of these recordings is matched by the quality of sound. The remastering is top notch and superior to most digital transfers heard today. I only wish this incredible set had been released on vinyl as well.

King Sunny Ade and His African Beats - Synchro System (1983) {Mango 162-539 737-2}
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© 1983 Mango / Island Records | 162-539 737-2
International / Afro-Beat / West African / Afro-Pop / Juju / Worldbeat

From the king of juju came this release of 1983, making use of some extra synthesizer-type sounds, as the title vaguely suggests. The sound is the general form of the new juju held up by Sunny Ade. There are no big surprises here, but it's a good album nonetheless. The music is performed well, and written pretty well to boot. Add to that a veritable army of musicians, and the result is a nice run of Nigerian pop with a special dose of keyboard work. As a special treat, there's a half-hidden track between four and five showcasing some work on the talking drums (dundun).

Kurt Rosenwinkel - The Next Step (2000) {Verve 314 549 162-2}
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© 2000 Verve / Universal Music | 314 549 162-2
Jazz / Post Bop / Straight-Ahead Jazz / Guitar

Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel takes The Next Step in his creative evolution on eight songs that exude several degrees of great jazz. He succeeds in topping the musical tastes presented on his debut release for the Verve label, The Enemies of Energy. Rosenwinkel is one of many young jazz musicians forging ahead into the new millennium with bold musical steps, and the compositions, all of which he wrote, represent the culmination of many life phases for him. First formed as a guitar-bass-drums trio in 1992, Rosenwinkel's band is now a quartet including Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, Ben Street on bass, and Jeff Ballard on drums, all excellent artists in their own right. All four musicians can be heard on The Enemies of Energy, and The Next Step is additional documentation of their relationship as a band.

The J.S. Bach Foundation has embarked on a remarkable undertaking: over a period of some 25 years, the Foundation will perform the complete vocal works by Johann Sebastian Bach (16851750). Each month, one of the over 200 Bach cantatas is performed in the idyllic town of Trogen in Appenzell, Switzerland. With a rhythm of 12 cantatas per year, the project is estimated to conclude in the year 2030. All introductory workshops, concerts and reflection lectures on the cantata texts are recorded; the texts of the lectures are published in a continually expanding Bach Anthology. The main aim of the J.S. Bach Foundation's ambitious project is to provide a living Bach experience for today's listeners and to deepen our understanding of the great composer's works. The artistic director of the foundation is Rudolf Lutz, who rehearses and conducts all performances with the choir, orchestra and solo vocalists.