Lorenzo Micheli was born in Milan and graduated cum laude from the prestigious G. Tartini Conservatory in Trieste. In 1999 he was the first Italian to win the grand prize at the Guitar Foundation of America Competition, a prize that included a solo recital tour of over fifty cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. This Naxos disc features Micheli in the studio playing the music of one of his countrymen, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.
Castelnuovo-Tedesco was one of Italy's most promising young composers in the 1920s. A Sephardic Jew, Castelnuovo-Tedesco felt an affinity for Spanish music and culture that is reflected in much of his work. Unfortunately, he was forced out of Italy once state-approved anti-Semitism took hold.
Castelnuovo-Tedesco's music is deliciously rhapsodic, and Micheli's guitar sings gloriously in this program. 'Escarramán' is a suite of Spanish dances inspired by Cervantes. Micheli plays this colorful work with grace and verve. Two movements are standouts: "El Canario," an elegant dance that displays Micheli's fluid technique; and "El rey Don Alonso el Bueno," a charming set of variations on an old nursery tune. Micheli has fire to spare, and dazzles with his picking technique in the spicy 'Tarantella,' Op.87b.

Guitarist David Leisner, a featured Azica solo recording artist, commissioned "Facts of Life" from American composer David Del Tredici for this recording, and in addition delivers the world premiere recording of Osvaldo Golijov's "Fish Tale" with flutist Tara Helen O'Connor. David's arrangement of the JS Bach "Lute Suite" BWV 997, included here, was one of the inspirations for Mr. Del Tredici's "Facts of Life". Mr. Leisner is an extraordinarily versatile musician with a multi-faceted career as an electrifying performer, a distinguished composer and a master teacher. Recent appearances have taken him around the USA, Puerto Rico, Oceania, Europe, Japan and Mexico. He also serves as Artistic Director of the Guitar Plus series in New York, a series that features chamber music with guitar.

Cleveland guitarist Jason Vieaux adds to his list of stellar recordings with this alluring program of works by Argentina’s master of the tango... The irresistible performances and crystal-clear sound — from Cleveland-based Azica Records — make this a don’t-miss disc. Grade: A

-- Donald Rosenberg, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Kermit Poling writes music that is beautifully crafted, and immediately accessible. It is full of beautiful, melodic lines. The Guitar concerto, written for Guitarist Giovanni De Chiaro, who performs it here, is one of the greatest guitar concertos of the past 50 years. Named by Forum Magazine as one of the top ten faces to watch, Kermit Poling is celebrating his 22nd season as Music Director of the South Arkansas Symphony and his 27th season as Music Director of the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet. He is in his 31st year as Associate Conductor of the Shreveport Symphony, an orchestra where he also was Concertmaster for over 27 years. He has produced the Shreveport Symphony’s broadcast series since 1987, having also produced radio programming for WBUR Boston and other public radio stations. He serves as General Manager of the Red River Radio public radio network at LSUS having been appointed to the position in 2006. In 2015 he became music director of the Marshall Symphony Orchestra in Texas. “The Romantic spirit lives, breathes, and flourishes in Kermit Poling.” (Fanfare Magazine)

Naxos arrives at the fourth installment in its complete cycle of Napoléon Coste's guitar music. The influential 19th century French guitarist and composer wrote in an early Romantic style touched by sophisticated textures, idiomatic assurance, and formal symmetry. You might say that his music sounds like what Carl Maria von Weber might have written had he been a guitar specialist. In any event, Costé's 25 Etudes Op. 38 mask their didactic aims by way of sheer musical delight. It's fantastic guitar writing, packed with enough double-note patterns, glistening scale passages, ingenuous polyphonic effects, and sly harmonic twists to entice listeners and keep guitarists honest. Jeffrey McFadden not only is an extraordinary guitarist--he's also an inspired musician. Hear, for instance, how he breathes life into the second etude's flowing patterns, or his impeccable timing of all the cadenza-type passages throughout the etudes. What variety of touch, dynamic inflection, and color McFadden brings to the slower selections! Bass lines simply soar, and the bell-like sound he gets from the higher strings and remarkable registral independence makes us wonder if McFadden is actually playing a piano disguised as a guitar! Informative annotations, gorgeous engineering, and, well, you already know the rest. No question, this is one of the loveliest discs in Naxos' burgeoning guitar collection. Buy it. --Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

This new release is an album of contemporary works for clarinet, supported by guitar, piano, and double bass. These works take as their foundation the traditions of Portuguese folk music. One of the more visible and active clarinetists on the scene today, Wesley Ferreira has been praised by critics for his "beautiful tone" and "technical prowess" (The Clarinet Journal) as well as his "remarkable sensitivity" (CAML Review). Fanfare Magazine notes, Ferreira is "clearly a major talent". As a recital clarinetist, his performances continually engage audiences, compelling the artistic director of one recent concert series performance to remark that Ferreira "showcased a potent synthesis of serious musicianship, technical ferocity, and bravery of programming that was effectively tempered by a dynamic flair for showmanship. With this performance, Ferreira proved not only is he an artist of some consequence, but also a consummate showman capable for presenting even the most challenging works with the ease and fluency of a world-class player."

Six elegant, dark, sensuous soundscapes in which emotions seem to bubble just below cool surfaces. Harmonically rich and texturally subtle music that features idiosyncratic electric guitar playing techniques developed by composer/performer Cox, whom noted guitarist-composer Ry Cooder has called “a hidden master of the crepuscular and the diaphanous.” On this CD Cox is joined by celebrated composer/trumpeter Jon Hassell, popular film composer Thomas Newman (piano), and composer/performer/instrument designer Chas Smith (pedal steel guitar). The Wire magazine wrote of this album, “Gently undulating melodies are held in soft focus, without becoming cloying; [Cox’s] enveloping harmonies are less innocent than they first appear. Prettiness with a tough core.” And Fanfare magazine wrote, “If you imagine floating through the night sky on a large abstract tapestry, you’ll get a feeling for what Cox’s music is like.” Motion (UK), opined, “Quiet music of consummate musicianship…an achingly beautiful suite of pieces featuring slowly, oh-so-slowly shifting soundscapes. One of a kind and clear candidate for every ambienteer’s ‘Best of 2001’ list.”

Having previously recorded the Baroque greats such as Handel and Vivaldi, Pamela completes her anthology of eighteenth century favorites with Telemann's Recorder Sonatas and Fantasias. Telemann's legacy as a composer of recorder music is among the richest of the age. The warmth and conviviality of Telemann's writing, the easy beauty of his melodies, as well as the knowing playfulness and ingenuity across many national styles are fully explored in this engaging program. Pamela utilizes a range of recorders in many sizes, known to players in the eighteenth century but only recently again perfected by makers for modern use. Accompanying Pamela are Ensemble Marsyas' Peter Whelan (bassoon), Alison McGillivray (cello), Elizabeth Kenny (archlute/guitar) and Marcin Swiatkiewicz (harpsichord/organ). Telemann's virtuosic 'concerto style' writing provides many opportunities for Pamela to further cement her deserved reputation as 'queen of the recorder'. Pamela Thorby has an international reputation as the UK's most stylish and creative recorder virtuoso. Pamela is most regularly heard on Karl Jenkins' fabulous Adiemus recordings making her possibly one of the most listened to recorder players in the world. Pamela's ability to assimilate many genres of music and her love of improvisation has led to collaborations with leading jazz, folk and pop musicians in an influential career in which she has travelled the world as concerto soloist, chamber musician and orchestral principal. Pamela's numerous and diverse recordings include acclaimed chamber music albums with the much admired Palladian Ensemble and a continuing series of highly praised solo recordings for Linn.

The strumming stylings of flamenco and other forms of Spanish musicality flavor this album of classical numbers. Virtuosos such as Friedemann Wuttke, Rita Honti, David Lorenz and others provide hours of unforgettable entertainment might just inspire a trip to Seville.