The Hidden World of Ella & Louis is a captivating 2XLP vinyl collection that pays tribute to one of the most iconic pairings in jazz history. This carefully curated set brings together the timeless vocal chemistry of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, both as a duo and in their solo splendor. LP 1 showcases the warmth, wit, and effortless elegance that defined their legendary collaborations on songs like "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "Cheek to Cheek," and "Dream a Little Dream of Me." These tracks serve as a reminder of how two contrasting voices could create perfect harmony, delivering interpretations of the Great American Songbook that continue to resonate decades later. On LP 2, we dive into the unmatched individual artistry of each performer. Ella Fitzgerald dazzles with her trademark purity and phrasing on beloved standards such as "How High the Moon," "Someone to Watch Over Me," and "Night and Day," revealing her masterful control and emotional depth. Louis Armstrong's charismatic solo performances on classics like "Mack the Knife," "La Vie en Rose," and "I Get a Kick Out of You" are equally unforgettable, his voice and trumpet exude soul, humor, and a distinctive gravitas that helped shape the sound of 20th-century music. More than just a compilation, The Hidden World of Ella & Louis is an essential collector's item for jazz aficionados and vinyl lovers alike. Housed in deluxe packaging and remastered for optimal sound quality, this double LP offers a unique listening experience that honors the legacy of two giants. Whether you're rediscovering their brilliance or experiencing it for the first time, this album invites you into a timeless musical world where swing meets sophistication, and every note tells a story.

This two-CD set offers all the works that Prokofiev wrote for the violin as solo instrument. One of the most sought-after and acclaimed virtuoso violinists today, James Ehnes is accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Gianandrea Noseda and by the pianist Andrew Armstrong, with whom he has previously made a number of highly acclaimed Chandos recordings. The distinguished Amy Schwartz Moretti joins him in the Sonata for Two Violins.- Chandos

Reviews

Orchestral Choice "... James Ehnes’s particular combination of matchless virtuosity, sweet tone, flowing tempi and interpretative restraint suits all this music down to the ground... the contribution of the BBC Philharmonic is distinguished throughout ... Strongly recommended." David Gutman - Gramophone magazine - October 2013

“Wow. Everything works here. James Ehnes rarely disappoints, and the playing on this beautifully recorded two-disc set is immaculate. It’s not just the musicality, the remarkable ability to give shape and colour to the thorniest solo writing, but his modesty – he’s a player who knows exactly when to step back and let collaborators take the spotlight… Unmissable.” Graham Rickson – theartsdesk.com – 28 September 2013

"... Ehnes and his pianist give performances worthy of the giants (Oistrakh and Richter) for whom their parts were conceived." Hugh Canning - The Sunday Times - 8 September 2013

Classical CD of the Week "... Ehnes is joined by Amy Schwartz Moretti for an electrifying performance of the duo sonata... In their mix of lyricism and sharpe-edged rhythmic and harmonic piquancy. Ehnes and Moretti are absolutely spot on in defining the music’s character. This is playing that truly grabs you by the scruff of the neck and commands attention... For the two concertos Ehnes teams up again with an orchestra and conductor he knows well - the BBC Philharmonic and Gianandrea Noseda - who yield apt, complimentary shades of colouring, both brilliant and pungent, to match Ehnes’s superb artistry." ***** Geoffrey Norris - The Daily Telegraph - 28 September 2013

"... the sound is terrific, and given the excellence of the performance throughout, and the convenience of having all of these works ’under one roof’. as it were, there’s no reason to put off acquiring this set..." Raymond S Tuttle - International Record Review - October 2013

"... Prokofiev wrote tuneful music, rich and rhythmic, and James Ehnes is outstanding in bringing this attractive music to life." Peter Spaull - Liverpool Post - 19 September 2013

Syncopated music has been played across the United States since the early 20th century, but swing first appeared in New Orleans. The unique style of its jazz bands, becoming a veritable trademark, was a major stepping-stone in the artistic history of America. World War II was followed by a surge of freedom as well as the search of jazz in its original form and America rediscovered this gem embedded in its history. This was the period of the New Orleans Revival and its riches are revealed by Dan Vernhettes. This vast panorama, interpreted by the greatest artists, portrays the gumbo jazz of New Orleans: ragtime, blues, marches, dance music, lighter tunes and religious hymns.

James Ehnes presents his third album of chamber works by Bartók. The previous volumes have, along with his outstanding concerto disc, established his formidable reputation as a Bartók interpreter. Here Ehnes is joined by the pianist Andrew Armstrong, violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, and Michael Collins, one of the world’s leading clarinettists.

The Sonatina, originally composed in 1915 for piano, was based on melodies which Bartók had collected during expeditions in Transylvania. The transcription for violin and piano heard here was produced ten years later by a young student of Bartók’s, Endre Gertler.

Bartók composed Contrasts in 1938 for the jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman and violinist Joseph Szigeti, who originally had requested a work in two movements, each with a cadenza for one of the featured instruments. Fulfilling this request, Bartók added a central slow movement, entitled ‘PihenÅ‘’ (Relaxation). The opening movement, ‘Verbunkos’, alludes to a march-like Hungarian military recruiting dance. The finale, entitled ‘Sebes’ (Quick), is a lively romp at the heart of which lies an unexpected episode of haunting calmness.

Besides writing for such outstanding musicians as Szigeti and Goodman, Bartók composed a lot of music for students, including the Forty-four Duos for two violins recorded here. These short pieces take material from a remarkably wide array of folk traditions and interlink the styles and culture of diverse peoples.

Characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas, and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Included are works by Johann Strauss I & II, Franz Lehar, and Franz von Suppe.

Decades before World Music became an established category, Béla Bartók was roaming the Eastern European countryside, collecting folk tunes with fellow composer Zoltan Kodaly. He snapped up songs from his native Hungary, but also toted his phonograph on tune-gathering trips to Romania, Slovakia and Turkey. He spent much of 1943 on a research fellowship at Columbia University transcribing Serbo-Croatian folk songs.

As violinist James Ehnes and pianist Andrew Armstrong demonstrate on this new recording, Bartók fashioned some vibrant and colorful arrangements from his folk journeys.

Ehnes has been a familiar face in New York lately; last summer, he performed on a New York Philharmonic broadcast from Van Cortlandt Park and also made a stop for a WQXR Café Concert. He’s been busy in the recording studio too; this wraps a three-part Bartók cycle.

The three sets of folk songs on this recording illustrate how Bartók embraced the tangy exotic modes and wild irregular rhythms of the countryside, which freed him from "the tyranny of major and minor scales," as he put it. Two sets of Hungarian Folks Songs features some jaunty dialogues with the piano and some added effects – pizzicato, harmonics – to make a splash. The Romanian Folk Dances ratchet up the momentum further, particularly in the final “Polka” and the rollicking “Fast Dance.”

The sonatas offer a striking contrast but there's much to admire here too. A Bach-like grandeur underscores the unaccompanied Sonata (1944), written in the in the final months of Bartók's life for Yehudi Menuhin, and yet more traces of Hungarian folk melodies turn up in the Violin Sonata in E minor, written a half-century earlier.

-- WQXR, Album of the Week [1/20/2013]

This new CD in Genuin's Movimentos series features compositions by Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Liszt and pianist/ composer Kit Armstrong, who is a pupil of Alfred Bendel. This new trio also includes Alfred's son, cellist Adrian Bendel. The third member, Andrej Bielow is the first violinist of the Szymanowski Quartet.

Andrew Armstrong's debut album for Rubicon is a fascinating recital of American piano music. The great George Gershwin is represented by his 3 Preludes, plus I Got Rhythm, and his most popular work, the sparkling Rhapsody in Blue, which unbelievably is 100 years old in 2024. Two African American composers, Julia Perry and William Grant Still feature - Still's impressive 3 Visions, and Perry's exquisite Prelude. Aaron Jay Kernis's Before Sleep and Dreams is a 5-movement suite from 1990, which depicts in music the process of putting a small child to bed. It's precedents are Schumann's Kinderszenen and Children's Corner by Debussy. It is a delightful and touching work. Finally, Andrew Armstrong's own composition, She Fell for a Flyfisher, is a beguiling, sparkling miniature.