Sean Shibe's fifth PENTATONE album, Vesper, presents a striking collection of contemporary guitar works by the late Harrison Birtwistle, James Dillon, and Thomas Ades, all composed by musicians who do not play the instrument themselves. Recorded here for the first time, these recent miniatures explore the guitar's expressive range in profoundly different ways: ritualistic and evocative in Birtwistle, elemental in Dillon, and allusive in Ades. Shibe's interpretations reveal the instrument's extraordinary colour, subtlety, and capacity for transformation, bringing each work to life with imagination and nuance. For some of Birtwistle's pieces, Shibe performs on Sylvette (2021), a guitar made by luthier Simon Ambridge in collaboration with French-British artist Lydia Corbett. A muse to Pablo Picasso - who was himself an important influence for several of Birtwistle's works on this album - Corbett also inspired Picasso's celebrated Sylvette series. Modelled on the small, responsive instruments of the Andalusian luthier Antonio de Torres, the guitar features Corbett's artwork on it's body, adding a visual and symbolic layer to the performance. Shibe is a former BBC New Generation Artist, a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship 2012 winner, a Royal Philharmonic Society 2018 Young Artist Award winner, a multi-GRAMMY nominee, and the recipient of the 2022 Leonard Bernstein Award. His recordings have won BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone Awards.
Recorded on Victor and Decca in the 1920s and 30s, Sleepy John Estes was a leading exponent of the Memphis blues style. These recordings capture the distinctive sound of Yank Rachel's legato mandolin lines and Jab Jones' rhythmic piano accompaniment, as well as Estes' skill at singing the narrative blues.
C. Andrew Hovan of AllAboutJazz once observed, “What has marked all of Stryker's previous SteepleChase sides has been his penchant to not repeat formats or ideas. Each session sports a different group of musicians and the material covers new ground.” Mr. Hovan’s observation proves true here on Stryker’s latest recording of mesmerizing organ quintet with repertoire raging from Michael Jackson to Clifford Brown together with his originals.
“(Stryker) combines tradition and modernity in equal balance, arranges with skill and imagination, teases optimum performances from associates with good-natured relish, and plays the blues with deep felt conviction.” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)
This rare Guthrie recording is a fluke of sorts in that it's existence is linked somewhat ironically to the fortuitous collection of folklore on what today is considered an outmoded and virtually obsolete recording technology: wire recordings. The two wire recordings on which these historic performances were found were lost for more than half a century. Discovered in a storage closet in the Florida home of Paul Bravemian, the wire recordings were donated to the Woody Guthrie Archives in 2001.
Vinyl LP pressing. 2024 release. Vintage George Benson vocals float over an orchestral reimagining of beloved American Standards & Soul Classics in this incredible collaboration with renowned composer and conductor, Robert Farnon. The brand new 10-track collection, once thought to be lost to history, was recently discovered in Benson's personal vaults and remastered to their original glory. With this new release, Benson also marks a musical return to the Warner Family - where he recorded such classic hits as "On Broadway" and "Breezin".
Burning Hell was recorded in 1959 in Detroit but wasn't released until 1964 on Riverside Records. Even then, it was only available in Europe. The album features John Lee Hooker solo as he plays originals and classics. AllMusic states that, on this album, "Hooker shows himself to be an excellent interpreter who could have held his own with Delta bluesmen of any era."
The Essential is a testament to Melody Gardot's enduring artistry. This collection spans 14 years of her career and includes 25 tracks that showcase the breadth of her musical abilities. Featuring selections from her six studio albums, remixes, live recordings and previously unreleased tracks, the album captures the essence of Gardot's talent. Highlights include her multilingual performances, emotive renditions of classics like Elton John's "Love Song," and live recordings that convey the raw honesty of her concerts. Each track offers a glimpse into the diverse emotional landscapes Gardot can traverse, making The Essential a rich and compelling portrait of an artist whose music speaks for itself.
