Playing amplified blues-rock has not been a problem for Fiona Boyes, but the flexible singer/guitarist is equally proficient when it comes to providing acoustic blues – and that is exactly what she does on Live from Bluesville. In fact, Boyes plays acoustic blues exclusively on this 48-minute CD, which finds her forming an intimate trio with Tom "Mookie" Brill (lead vocals, acoustic bass, harmonica) and Rich DelGrosso (lead vocals, mandolin). Contrary to what the title suggests, this isn't a live album in the conventional sense; Live from Bluesville wasn't recorded in a club or theater in front of an audience, but rather in a Washington, D.C., studio in 2007. However, all the performances were recorded in real time – no overdubbing whatsoever – and the rugged spirit of acoustic country blues often prevails thanks to Boyes, Brill, and DelGrosso (who share the lead vocals, although Boyes' singing dominates the session). However, they don't embrace any one type of acoustic country blues exclusively. Mississippi Delta blues is part of the equation, but so are Texas blues and Louisiana blues. And occasionally, Live from Bluesville demonstrates that acoustic blues doesn't necessarily mean country blues.

Damn the Torpedoes wasn't simply a culmination of Tom Petty's art; it happened to be a huge success, enabling him to call the shots on its successor, Hard Promises. Infamously, he used his first album as a star to challenge the record industry's practice of charging more for A-list artists, demanding that Hard Promises should be listed for less than most records by an artist of his stature, but if that was the only thing notable about the album, it would have disappeared like Long After Dark. Instead, it offered a reaffirmation that Damn the Torpedoes wasn't a fluke. There's not much new on the surface, since it continues the sound of its predecessor, but it's filled with great songwriting, something that's as difficult to achieve as a distinctive sound…

The neo-noir textures of Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava's fine ECM release, New York Days, recall evocative, jazz-based film scores such as Gato Barbieri's Last Tango in Paris or Miles Davis's Elevator to the Gallows. Joined by a stellar cast, including the fine pianist Stefano Bollani, contemporary tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, and the apparently ageless Paul Motian on drums, Rava conjures a rain-soaked, black-and-white urban fantasia on a finely produced, 77-minute set of moody originals. Rava, Turner, and Bollani are all strong stylists, however, so there is little danger of their being fully submerged in the impressionistic dark waters. At times, the sound resembles the post-bop chamber jazz of Miles's celebrated '60s quintet, at others, the upscale European strains of film composer Nino Rota or tango master Astor Piazzolla. Either way, New York Days is one of the outstanding jazz releases of 2009.

Another amazing SBB album, and a particular triumph for group keyboardist and vocalist Józef Skrzek, whose synthesiser mastery is on exceptional form this time around. Having mastered a space rock-symphonic melange with a spicy dose of jazz fusion, the group seemed to take this album to introduce more minimalistic elements into their work - rather than being busily playing complex material all the time, the group know just when to step back and get simple for a delicate acoustic guitar interlude or for a tension building percussion segment. It takes a listen or two to sink in, but once it does the effect is electrifying, building up the extended compositions marvellously to their grand conclusions. One of their best.

Hailed by the press as “the definitive video production” of Tchaikovsky’s music, this exceptional concert series, recorded live from the Alte Oper Frankfurt, features the leading Russian conductor Vladimir Fedoseyev and the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra. Fedoseyev’s perceptive reading of the works of his fellow countryman, the masterly playing of the orchestra and guest soloists combine to produce performances which are revelatory in their execution and understanding of Tchaikovsky’s music and the Russian heritage.