Bandleader, arranger, tenor saxist Dave Clark leads the Blues Swingers, a nine piece vintage R&B revivalist band. Their first Delmark appearance was accompanying guitarist Floyd McDaniel on "Let Your Hair Down!" (DMK #671). Floyd passed at the age of 80 in 1995 but "Switchin' in the Kitchen" features five previously unreleased tracks from 1992 as well as 11 new tracks.
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. One of the finest pianists and composers of the hard bop era, Sonny Clark arrived fully formed on his supremely swinging 1957 Blue Note debut, Dial "S" for Sonny. Clark assembled a top-flight sextet for the occasion with Art Farmer (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone), Wilbur Ware (bass), and Louis Hayes (drums). Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes.
The music of Herbie Hancock has affected the lives of generations of jazz performers. Like many of these musicians, it was the opportunity to play with the great pianist/composer that introduced the great drummer Mike Clark to the jazz world at large. To show his appreciation, Clark presents a selection of his favorite Hancock pieces performed with a trio on his new recording, Mike Clark Plays Herbie Hancock. Mike Clark in the late 1960s regularly played post-bop gigs with Woody Shaw and Bobby Hutcherson, but it was the funky organ gigs with his friend, bassist Paul Jackson, that really cemented Clark's standing on the scene. At the time, Hancock's ground-breaking, electric Mwandishi ensemble broke up due to financial constraints. Hancock began to regroup a smaller, funkier ensemble and hired Jackson. Hancock initially had Harvey Mason for the drum chair, but his work constraints wouldn't allow him to join. Jackson recommended Clark for the group and the Headhunters were born.
The moving performances on Mike Clark and Michael Zilber's Mike Drop show that kindred spirits can be found no matter the distance. Though both Clark and Zilber came from the West Coast, they found their connection in a love of the serious soul of one of New York City's distinctive styles: a seriously swinging, free range jazz.
Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) served in the Russian navy and with the encouragement of his mentor Balakirev, a member of "The Five," pursued his musical education. He taught at the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1871 till "Bloody Sunday" in 1905 when he was dismissed for political involvement. Many of his students also went on to successful careers in music. He taught Glazunov, Respighi, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, and Lyadov among so many. While he composed operas, chamber music, songs and choral music it is his orchestral material that he is at the front of the line including Scheherazade, Capriccio Espagnol, Russian Easter Festival, and Antar all represented on this CD. And yes his famous "Flight of the Bumble-Bee," template for the Green Hornet theme, and used in numerous cartoons and films is included. Also included is a duet arrangement by Kreisler for violin and piano of the "Hindu Song," well known as "The Song of India" made famous by Tommy Dorsey.
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. This album deservedly acquired 'cult status' thanks perhaps to the blend of material and happy assurance of all the soloists. Art Farmer for example is melodic and tuneful on Cool Struttin', helped by Sonny's sympathetic yet urgent chordal backing. The same applies to Jackie McLean, a loyal devotee of Charlie Parker but blessed with his own style. The pianist's solos have finger bustin' moments when the keys seem melded into one homogenous mass. But Sonny also displayed his expertise as a tasteful stylist with a unique approach much admired by Bill Evans. The musicians assembled for this session were produced by Blue Note Records supremo Alfred Lion, and would have been familiar to Clark, on this occasion cast in the role of Leader. Sonny was one of the Jazz label's house pianists called on to back the likes of John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell and Hank Mobley.
Outstanding Drummer Mike Clark unites with Blue Note trumpeter Eddie Henderson, fellow Headhunter Bill Summers, Skerik, Wayne Horvitz and Blackjazz Records legendary bassist Henry Franklin for an amazing new release on Wide Hive Records. Kosen Rufu is 10 well crafted compositions that are drawn together by awesome musicianship and a classic version of Erik Dolphy's Hat and Beard. Mike Clark is one of the most sampled drummers in history. Here he reunites with Bill Summers; both were in many bands together and most notably Herbie Hancock's Thrust and Man Child. Joining the rhythm section is Henry Franklin on stand up Bass; known for his work with Hugh Masekela, Stevie Wonder and his eponymous release on Blackjazz Records. Also is the band are Skerik on saxophone (Galactic) and virtuoso pianist Wayne Horvitz.
The supremely swinging pianist Sonny Clark hit the Blue Note scene in 1957 with a burst of creativity, first appearing as a sideman on the excellent Hank Mobley session and quickly returning to Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack studio to record three albums as a leader over the next three months: his debut Dial 'S' for Sonny, Sonny's Crib featuring John Coltrane, and the sublime Sonny Clark Trio featuring bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. - Presented without horns for the first time, the six-song set of bebop themes and standards puts the emphasis on Clark's pianism. The album opens with a blistering take of Dizzy Gillespie's tune "Be-Bop" that demonstrates Clark's dexterity before downshifting into a medium tempo swing through Rogers and Hart's "I Didn't Know What Time It Was." Two more bop themes follow with excellent renditions of Gillespie and John Lewis' "Two Bass Hit" and "Tadd's Delight" by Tadd Dameron. Clark's profound lyricism and inventive lines are evident on an excellent version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" and the album closes with an exquisite solo performance of "I'll Remember April."
Recorded on September 1, 1957 at Rudy Van Gelder's home studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, and released in March 1958, "Sonny's Crib" is a jazz album released by Sonny Clark when he was just 25 years old. He had moved from Pittsburgh to the West Coast and then New York in the early to mid-1950s and he immersed himself in bebop and when he'll give his personal touch to the sounds emerging from the birthplace of hard bop. Albums from this period often featured "dream teams" of musicians and "Sonny's Crib" is a prime example. It's his second album as a leader (after "Dial "S" for Sonny") and the band it's notable because it features a fantastic lineup musicians as Sonny Clark himself, Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor and John Coltrane (in his pre-Blue Train period which was recorded just a few weeks later in 1957). The performance it's phenomenal, a true result of hard bop with some blues and modal elements: on "Sonny's Crib" Sonny Clark is real at the heart of the action. A recording that open the door to hard bop a must-have in the ideal jazz discography that show Clark become one of the best jazz piano talents of that period.
O Eterne Deus: Music of Hildegard von Bingen / Vajra Voices
Music and Arts Programs of America
CD
$18.99May 13, 2016
Women’s vocal ensemble Vajra Voices presents their debut recording, O Eterne Deus- Music of Hildegard von Bingen. Also known as Saint Hildegard, Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) was a German Benedictine abbess, composer, philosopher, writer, Christian mystic, and polymath. She composed some of the earliest liturgical dramas and morality plays. Vajra Voices is directed by Karen R. Clark, and the ensemble is joined by multi-instrumentalist Shira Kammen for this recording. “One cannot help but be deeply moved by the exquisite rendition of Hildegard’s music by Vajra Voices. Their singing brings Hildegard into the room with all her passion and power and the Spirit arrives too along with angels eager to wake us up.” (Matthew Fox)
Debussy: Orchestral Works / Deneve, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Chandos
SACD
$43.99May 29, 2012
This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players. Digital CD 16Bit 44.1Khz. Originally recorded in: DSD
"...In each of these performances the RSNO, keenly responsive to Denève after his seven seasons as chief conductor, confirm the absolute precision, transparency and - in Jeux as much as anywhere – passion required for these scores. The detail in Images is exquisite (with a lovely oboe d'amore solo by Katherine Mackintosh). The Nocturnes, especially Fêtes, achieve a shimmering, decidedly un-Monet-like glaze, and La Mer erupts and glistens."
Rhapsody & The Two Pigeons / Ashton, Wordsworth, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House [Blu-ray]
Opus Arte
Blu-Ray
$39.99Oct 28, 2016
This release features two Frederick Ashton ballets in one exquisite evening performance. Principals Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae dance Ashton’s Rhapsody, created for The Royal Ballet in 1980 by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lesley Collier, with spectacular choreography to suite the dancers’ star reputations. Lauren Cuthbertson and Vadim Muntagirov lead a charismatic cast in Ashton’s poignant and heart-warming reflection on love, The Two Pigeons, based on an old French folk tale and first performed on Valentines Day 1961. These two ballets from the company’s founder choreographer capture The Royal Ballet’s famous skill and distinctive style. Barry Wordsworth conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in the rapturous Rachmaninoff and Messager scores. Financial Times gave this performance five stars, stating: “…Steven McRae… cutting tremendous shapes in the air, wrapping the score round himself…”
Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress / Persson, Lehtipu, Jurowski, LPO
Opus Arte
DVD
$34.99Jan 31, 2012
In this celebrated Glyndebourne Festival production, David Hockney’s designs for director John Cox reinterpret the Hogarth etchings that inspired the opera’s libretto, written for Stravinsky by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman. In 2010, this revival under Glyndebourne’s Music Director, Vladimir Jurowski, captured the opera’s neo-classical spirit and its juxtaposition of whimsy, cynicism and compassion, prompting the Financial Times to call it,‘‘as enjoyable a performance of Stravinsky’s opera as any that has come along".
Recorded live at the Glyndebourne Opera House 18–19 December 2010
Bonus: - Documentary includes an interview with David Hockney - Introduction to the Rake’s Progress
Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Dutch, Japanese, Korean
Running time: 140 mins
No. of DVDs: 1
REVIEW:
Nick Shadow speaks directly to the audience in Act 2, which justifies his winking and gurning at them at various points throughout, usually to show what a dupe his master is, and always to delicious comic effect. His costume, and in particular his hairdo, is ridiculous, yet strangely disquieting. Matthew Rose plays the part to the hilt, making clear from his very first scene that Tom is a pushover and that Anne is where the danger lies. He manages adeptly the comic aspects of the role, at least as far as the graveyard scene, when everything changes. It’s possible to imagine a darker voice for Shadow, but I find his assumption totally convincing. Topi Lehtipuu as Tom is very fine too. He captures very well indeed Tom’s love for Anne, which is genuine and will be his salvation, but which he abandons by weakness of will. Miah Persson is adorable as Anne. She brings out beautifully the vulnerability of the character, but crucially she has brilliantly understood the steely determination present in Anne’s music, and acts it out, both physically and vocally, to perfection. The smaller roles are beautifully taken, and the chorus sings and acts splendidly. Time and again I was struck, as never before, by the sheer beauty of the sound of this work, and the orchestra plays magnificently under the inspiring direction of Vladimir Jurowski.
There are other performances of The Rake’s Progress on DVD, including an earlier incarnation of this same production, finely sung but now superseded technically. Then there is the production from La Monnaie in Brussels, garishly updated to 1950s America. Rapturously received in many quarters, you are likely to love it or hate it. Either way, there is no question, this life-enhancing DVD from Glyndebourne is truly special and not to be missed.
This outstanding recording features four ballet works: Liam Scarlett’s Viscera, Carlos Acosta’s Carmen, Jerome Robbins’s Afternoon of a Faun, and George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky pas de deux. Acosta’s Carmen focuses on the dramatic essentials of revenge, jealousy, and love. Not only did Acosta choreograph the production, he also dances a lead role. When Viscera was created in 2012, Liam Scarlett was the Royal Ballet Artist In Residence. Particularly interesting is Balanchine’s Pas de Deux which was based on a newly discovered movement from Swan Lake which had not been performed since Tchaikovsky’s death.
Region Code: 0 (Worldwide) Running Time: 118 Minutes
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