Stormae Formidable

The title "Formidable" and the striking cover photo of Pat Martino in profile in front of a statue of a lion suggests that the great guitarist is going to unleash awesome powers. However, the proper meaning of formidable in this context is more to be taken as the presence of the master. Here and now, in late career, the lion is content. He displays his supremacy in a group setting. He leads the players in a moveable feast that recapitulates his work of the past while adding a contemporary touch.

Thomas Oliemans has had French chansons in his head for as long as he can remember: on a scratchy car radio or a cassette player, in the back seat for hours on end on the way to the Vendee or Dordogne, or softly issuing from a gramophone record in his father's study. When he started to learn the piano and got into the habit of singing along, it was obviously French chansons that he picked up by ear and sang entirely phonetically. The French teachers at Oliemans's secondary school enter him in the Concours de la Chanson, which he promptly (and nearly by accident) won. And all of a sudden, the path opened up for him to become a professional singer or pianist. It led into the world of classical singing, opera, lied and oratorio, but the chanson was never far away. On Formidable!, he is joined by Amsterdam Sinfonietta for a recital of old friends.

'Hitch' the extraordinary new album from Welsh alternative rock group The Joy Formidable is self-produced by the band, and mixed by the legendary Alan Moulder. The new release showcases the evolution of the trio's sound and musicianship. The commanding guitar and lead vocals of Ritzy Bryan coupled with bassist Rhydian Davies and the stalwart stylings of drummer Matt Thomas perfectly align on the band s latest endeavor.

'The Big Roar' is the first proper full-length studio record from Welsh three-piece The Joy Formidable. The group have already received large amounts of press attention, having been regulars on the UK festival circuit since 2008, and singer Ritzy Bryan featuring in the NME's 'Cool List'. The influence of bands like Nirvana and The Pixies is unmistakeable throughout 'The Big Roar', which is preceded by the single 'Popinjay'.

Wolf's Law is an unashamedly intricate record. Lyrically, the record touches politics of both the personal and global type, "The Leopard And The Lung" focusing on Kenyan environmental activist (Wangari Maathai) while "Tendons" is, according to Ritzy, "the closest we have ever got to a love song, albeit a very peculiar, f***ing love song. "

The debut album of the Rwandan-Belgian boy who conquered all Europe with the included electronic rap hit "Alors on danse", a favourite in clubs all over Europe for its mix of rap and heavy beat, alongside a rather dour view of life in the eurozone. In less than 4 months it sold 1 million copies worldwide. His unique "provocateur" style is compared by many with that of the legendary Jacques Brel. Songs with dissatisfaction, lucidity, realism and clever wordplay, Stormae compositions, represent the crisis that all Europe, and especially young people are undergoing nowdays. At least they found a voice and a rhythm. Enjoy.

À l'occasion des 100 ans de la naissance de Charles Aznavour, découvrez ses 100 plus belles chansons réunies sur un Best of 5CD.

À l'occasion des 100 ans de la naissance de Charles Aznavour, découvrez ses 100 plus belles chansons réunies sur un Best of 5CD.

A keystone in the modern chanson genre, French cabaret singer and songwriter Charles Aznavour entertained the world for close to 75 years. In the early '50s, he often opened for Edith Piaf, and composed several songs for her, thus beginning a solid reputation as both a gifted writer and a unique song stylist. Aznavour had a special talent for writing and singing from unusual points of view, creating personal and compassionate character studies that expanded the emotional range of the typical pop ballad. He also acted in dozens of films, most famously Truffaut's Shoot the Piano Player. Aznavour continued to perform and record music until just before his death in 2018. His status as the quintessential French popular culture icon was something of an irony for a man who identified himself most closely with his Armenian heritage. Born Shahnour Varenagh Aznavourian, his French roots derived from the fact that his family fled the threat of massacre by the Turks – his father was a singer and sometime restauranteur, while his mother was an actress and part-time seamstress.