The Fifteen

Heinrich Biber was a giant of the Baroque violin. Just as the electric guitar has become the instrument of "the people" during the late 20th century, so the violin was for the Baroque period. The older family of viols was a mainstay of the aristocracy, while the lighter and louder violin came to embody the voice of the people, and subsequently of the courts. Heinrich Biber was Austrian, but was inspired by the Italian style of fantastic, wild improvisatory playing, and had a lifestyle to match.

Biber's 'Rosary Sonatas' for violin and basso continuo stand alone in the violin literature and in music history, offering a unique combination of programmatic material and the use of scordatura. The cycle consists of fifteen sonatas for violin and basso continuo, and a closing Passacaglia for solo violin, composed c.1687. Through the copper engravings inserted at the head of each sonata in the manuscript depicting key moments in the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary, the music has become associated with the Catholic Mysteries of the Rosary.

The Decca audition is the name given to the now-famous Beatles audition for Decca Records at their Decca Studios in West Hampstead, north London, England, before they reached international stardom. Decca's decision to reject the group is considered to be one of the biggest mistakes in music history…

"The album title for us reflects the feelings that so many people have been experiencing over the last two unprecedented years of darkness. We feel it is time to ‘turn the lights back on’ and shine some positivity and joyousness…” CATS in SPACE are all set to return this summer with their fifth studio album which boldly promises to musically go “where no band has gone before..” the SUN![/quote

Jazz vocalist Connie Evingson is known for taking divergent musical paths. Her eclectic catalog of recordings for Minnehaha Music covers such varied themes as Peggy Lee, the Beatles, jazz elders, and most recently, "hot club" music a la Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli (Gypsy in My Soul, '04). Anticipating her next release, one would expect Evingson's music to take another divergent turn. But a chance meeting with a young hot club group from Sweden inspired her to delve deeper into the Django style before moving in a new direction…

Reign of the Architect will release their debut album, Rise, via Pitch Black Records on April 16th (everywhere except the USA where it will be released on May 14th). The album features guest appearances from Jeff Scot Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen, Journey), Mike LePond (Symphony X) and Joost Van Den Broek (Ayreon, After Forever). The fifteen tracks, spread over three “acts” on this album make up what is part one of a two part concept, telling a tale of love, destruction and survival in the aftermath of this power struggle.”