Soirée captures the atmosphere of informal, domestic music making. Czech star mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená offers an intimate and highly personal collection of international songs together with an outstanding group of musical friends, including Sir Simon Rattle, who makes his recording debut as a pianist. The German lied is represented by Brahms (Two Songs, Op. 91 and Five Ophelia Songs, WoO 22) and Strauss (Morgen!), the French chanson by Chausson (Chanson perpétuelle) and Ravel (Chansons madécasses), and 20th-century avant-gardism with Stravinsky’s Three Songs from William Shakespeare.

Domenico Scarlatti was born in 1685 - the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. Only a small fraction of his compositions were published during his lifetime; his 555 keyboard Sonatas were published long after his death. These virtuosic single movement works display remarkable harmonic originality. Pierre Hantaï is recognized as one of the most notable harpsichordists of his generation. The previous five volumes of his dazzling cycle of Scarlatti Sonatas received strong critical acclaim. This long-awaited sixth volume continues to set a new standard for these works.

First performed in 1729 and quickly forgotten, Lotario is a worthy work with plenty of effective arias and a duet, with characters and intrigues that demand attention. Conductor Alan Curtis explains in the liner notes that he has cut the recitatives and an aria or two in order to get the work onto two CDs. I can’t argue with his decision, and it’s good to have such a fine performance of this unknown work available. Curtis breathes life into each aria and paces the recitatives wisely. He takes time over the warm, loving arias and doesn’t give in to the temptation to rip into the allegros.

It does not take very long to realize that this is a nicely put together record. The singing is intense in somewhat of a Springsteen/David Eugene Edwards (Woven Hand) manner, but unique from them. The surrounding instrumentation weaves in and out in a folk rock manner at times and works as a full throttle rock band at others. The Singer-Songwriter category does not quite do justice to the songs. I would say rock fans will like this more than people wanting straight folk, but it has a good general appeal to both the crowds seeking lighter thoughtful material and those that want a good rock beat. The music is rather universal and what is truly interesting is that the California duo behind this band has historically done so much better in Europe than in the US. While I often can understand why some great European born music may not translate as well in the US (and vice versa), I have never understood why several great US bands (Wipers, 16 Horsepower) do so much better in Europe. Add this band to that list, as US listeners need to join in. I believe this album of eleven original songs comes with a bonus CD containing a full live set. (David Hintz)

The many talents of Della Reese has meant she has enjoyed a long and successful career as top drawer performer of Jazz, Blues, R&B, Gospel and stylish pop music. Here the spotlight is on her two complete albums and a collection of her singles from Jubilee records including the classic hit 'And That Reminds Me'. This is a great introduction to the work of Della Reese and shows exactly why she was to considered one of the foremost interpreters of the American Songbook.

"The Broadcast Collection (Live)" is a comprehensive compilation of live performances by the Pat Metheny Group, recorded between 1976 and 1987. Released in 2019, this album captures the energetic and innovative live recordings from the early stages of the group’s career. Featuring 46 tracks and approximately six hours of music, the album highlights the depth and diversity of their stage performances

For more than ten years Soul Jazz Records have been exploring and documenting the sound of New Orleans Funk. Now they turn their attention to the flipside of this musical coin - New Orleans Soul.
These two musical forms share a lineage that begins with the city's enormous rhythm and blues explosion in the post-war 1940s and 1950s. New Orleans Soul incorporated the soulful vocals of the gospel church, the driving beat of rhythm and blues, as well as traces of the second-line parade bands and the latinized rhythms of the city. Here you will find New Orleans soul in all its glorious variations - from the deep, deep soul of singers Aaron Neville, Willie Tee and Robert Parker to the storming northern soul of Maurice Williams and Eldridge Holmes, the funky soul of Eddie Bo, Lionel Robinson and Ernie K-Doe all alongside the Crescent City's finest soul sisters - Irma Thomas, Betty Harris, Jean Knight, Inell Young and more!

Hear songs from Björk’s recent Lisbon performance in Spatial Audio. Björk, the Icelandic avant-garde musician known for her boundary-pushing sound and theatrical performances, takes us on a journey through her catalogue during an exclusive show in Lisbon. While the performance leans heavily on Utopia, her ambitious 2017 project about healing and new beginnings, she also performs vivid early-career compositions like “Isobel” and “Hidden Place”. The set list was arranged to celebrate a lifetime of creative innovation, performed in front of a live audience, and mixed and mastered in Spatial Audio.

TED NUGENT KENTUCKY STATE FAIR - From A Live FM Broadcast Recorded At The Kentucky State Fair, Louisville, KY, 26th August 1995. 1995 saw the release of Ted Nugent s Spirit Of The Wild, his first and only solo album of the 90s. The record also witnessed the return of vocalist Derek St. Holmes, who had featured on many of Nugent s early LPs. Spirit Of The Wild ultimately peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard Charts and marked a return to critical acclaim, with many praising Nugent for reviving his original heavier, hard rock sound. To support the album, Nugent set out on a 27-date U.S. tour throughout 1995. One of his finest performances during this time was given at the Kentucky State Fair, which took place at Cardinal Stadium, Louisville on 26th August with support from British hard rock supergroup Bad Company. Recorded for live simultaneous FM broadcast across the United States, and playing a selection from his latest record as well as a number of older favourites and covers - including The Amboy Dukes classic Journey To The Centre Of The Mind and Jimi Hendrix s Red House - this whirlwind show is now available in its entirety on this CD for the first time.

Having carved out an immortal legacy via her unique voice, unmatched compositional skills and individual style, Stevie Nicks has received enormous renown for her work both with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. Having originally left the band in 1991, she joined the reunion of the classic Fleetwood Mac line up in 1997, and their subsequent live album The Dance received multiple Grammy nominations. After being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of Mac in 1998, and following the conclusion of their reunion tour, Stevie began work on her next project, Enchanted, a three disc rarities box set covering Nicks' entire solo career to date. To celebrate this release, Nicks embarked on a 46-date tour of the United States. On 14th August 1998 she performed at Max Yasgur's Farm, NY, the site of the legendary Woodstock Festival that had taken place 30 years before. Recorded for live FM radio and TV broadcast, this two disc set features the entire recording of this spectacular show for the first time.

Live In Paris & Ottawa 1968 presents two fiery live performances that highlight Jimi Hendrix’s rapidly evolving music repertoire as the rock trio embarked on a worldwide tour in support of their sophomore release, Axis: Bold As Love. Part one begins with a rousing performance at Paris’ famed L’Olympia Theatre on January 29, 1968, marking The Experience’s third performance at the venue in just over a year. Originally released as part of the 1991 box set Stages, The Experience’s L’Olympia Theatre performance makes it’s return engagement to CD for the first time in more than 15 years. Like all previous recordings in the Dagger Records library, Live In Paris & Ottawa 1968 is once again highlighted by posthumous studio engineering and mastering by our dynamic technical team of Eddie Kramer and George Marino.

Saratoga Performing Arts Centre, N.Y. State, September 1st, 1984

After a string of releases on Sony Classical that have redefined the parameters of the classical recital album, Khatia Buniatishvili is returning to tradition with a recording of two of Mozart’s most sublime late piano concertos. Khatia Buniatishvili joins an iconic orchestra in performances of two cherished piano concertos by Mozart.

Ashes and Dust is a masterful work of art and a particularly important statement for the Grammy Award winning artist Warren Haynes. The songs are immediately and clearly different from his usual style - encompassing beautiful acoustic arrangements, a rootsy/Americana soundscape and honeyed vocals that cut straight through to the soul. Knowing that he wanted to pursue a more folk-based approach on this project, he brought in the New Jersey-based Americana band Railroad Earth as collaborators. This 2-CD deluxe edition package features 5 bonus tracks.

The ultimate Yes tribute and collection! Features Yes and many of their side projects and solo work. Includes previously unreleased tracks and rarities.
Along with Emerson, Lake & Palmer, King Crimson and Genesis, Yes is without a doubts the most important of the British progressive rock band of all time. The original sound of the group was a something never Heard of when its self- titled debut album came out in 1969. In The Many Faces of Yes we present an unknown side of the band, with recordings by the group as a whole and also by solo members, including rarities and other gems.
In CD 1, "The BBC Sessions", we presented the group with their original lineup (Jon Anderson on vocals, Peter Banks on guitar, Bill Bruford on drums, Chris Squire on bass and Tony Kaye on keyboards) with their performanc es in the London's BBC Radio…