Xx.haiii Leak

After a notable two-year absence from the new-release racks, The Lucksmiths return with a mighty "don't argue" in the shape of 'Spring a Leak', their exhaustive new collection of lost treasures. No mere greatest hits collection, 'Spring a Leak' compiles over a decade's worth of great recordings that have never made it onto a Lucksmiths full-length: b-sides, alternative versions (from 7" singles and demos), songs recorded especially for compilations, live, radio and TV sessions, cover versions, remixes, and various previously unreleased ephemera.

As chart-topping multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Brian Culbertson crafts his 20th album, the aptly titled "XX".Culbertson's catalogue includes recordings of jazz - contemporary and straight ahead - as well as R&B, funk, instrumental pop and New Age. "XX," which drops April 10, reflects his remarkable diversity. "It's a mix of things that I've done throughout my twenty records. There's a lot of funky instrumentals, some pop-sounding tracks, a couple slow jams, straight-ahead jazz, gospel, some vocals, lots of horns and some straight-up FUNK! The album is very much a mixture of some modern sounding programming along with live instruments, too. Real drums on almost everything mixed with programming. Definitely a cool sound," said Culbertson.

Jordi Savall & Hesperion XX - Music For The Spanish Kings (2001) {2CD Set Virgin 7243 5 61875 2 8 rec 1983}
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© 1983, 2001 Virgin / EMI | 7243 5 61875 2 8
Classical / Renaissance / 15th & 16th Century Spanish Music

Like the Renaissance itself, Music for the Spanish Kings begins with a strutting fanfare and ends with a melancholic sigh. Attaining his usual high standards, Jordi Savall has fashioned a poignant and varied musical portrait of the century encompassing the reigns of three Spanish kings: Alphonso I (1442-58), Ferdinand I (1458-94), and Charles V (1516-56). Montserrat Figueras' rich mezzo-soprano voice carries over half the pieces on the first disc. Her stunning vibrato imparts a troupadour's sadness to the cancions.

Jordi Savall & Hesperion XX - Elizabethan Consort Music, 1558 - 1603 (1998) {Alia Vox AV 9804}
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© 1998 Alia Vox | AV 9804
Classical / Renaissance / Baroque / Chamber Music

Although the first full consort of viols did not arrive in England until 1540, there were actually several intriguing examples of what are now called "consort" music from before that time. Of course, the homogenous viol consort became supreme, and the present program (also featuring some 2-lute arrangements) focuses on the first part of that repertory. This developed at Elizabeth's court in the 1570s & 1580s, among professional musicians, but based on relatively restrictive models. Some pieces in the present program are composed freely, heralding the next step in consort development which, along with the small output of Byrd, allowed the English consort idiom to fully flower. Of course that was followed closely by the even larger and more famous repertory of consort music by composers such as Gibbons which was eventually geared more toward amateur players.

Jordi Savall & Hesperion XX - Couperin - Les Nations, 1726 (1986) {2CD Set Naive-Astree ES 9956 rel 2000}
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© 1986, 2000 Auvidis France / Naïve / Astrée | ES 9956
Classical / Baroque / Chamber Music

Original released by Auvidis France in 1986. This reissue released by Auvidis-Naïve in 2000 (ES 9956). Couperin places himself between the Italian and French musical styles of his day to create something rather greater than either. For the most part early works, these sonatas with dance suites combine the style of Lully and Louis XIV's court with Corelli's brilliance: the result is a Grand Tour of the high Baroque, given, s'il vous plait, with a French accent. Savall's rendition, true to form, is dark, elegant, and supple. He assigns the trio-sonata texture to differing combinations of violins, oboes, and traversi, all with a large and inspired continuo group. Performers: Monica Huggett, Chiara Banchini, Ton Koopman, Hopkinson Smith, Stephen Preston, Ku Ebbinge &c. Highly recommended.

2018 two CD set. XX… since music speaks louder than words… 20 years of creation, research, traveling, partying… so 20 years of love, happiness and sharing to sum up the story shortly. The first compilation released by George V Records was 20 years ago. After millions of CD albums sold out throughout the world, the one and only compilation of lounge, world and downtempo music comes back to stores. This anniversary double CD was mixed by world-famous and historical resident DJs - Ravin & Sam Popat to meet the expectations of all Buddha-Bar lovers. On the lounge CD, relax… Ravin is taking care of everything for you…

Jordi Savall & Hespèrion XX - Folias & Canarios (1994) {Astrée E 8516}
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© 1994 Auvidis / Astrée | E 8516
Classical / Renaissance / Baroque

Savall and Hesperion XXI often return to the same material, almost obsessively; yet this repertory - the interface of early Iberian art music and the traditional - sustains endless re-visiting and re-interpretation; there can never be one definitive interpretation of this endlessly rewarding music, as Renaissance and Baroque composers knew - producing as they did endless variations on traditional themes which had woven their way from the popular sphere to the realm of 'art' music. Some of these bass melodies are presented here - the 'Follia' and 'Canaries' -and it is wonderful that Savall has the artistic freedom to perform versions of these again and again on his own label, Alia Vox.

There can only be one Chill Out and Lounge Compilation Series being the Market Leader and it certainly is the Café del Mar Series! There have since been many imitators, but only one true Café del Mar. No other album will reaffirm further this very simple statement than Volume 20 including exclusive tracks from Nightmares On Wax, Goldfrapp, Thievery Corporation, Rae & Christian , Penguin Café, Moby, M83, Morcheeba, Boards of Canada.