Widely recognized as one of the world’s best horn players, Philip Myers also inspired as well as commissioned most of the pieces on this historically significant album with world premieres of horn music by American composer Phillip Ramey, whose works have been performed by such orchestras as the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and whose Horn Concerto (with Philip Myers as soloist) was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic for their 150th anniversary. This release presents world premieres of works for solo horn, for two horns, and for horn in different combinations with piano and/or violin, stunningly performed by hornists Philip Myers and Howard Wall, whose long-time partnership as New York Philharmonic musicians extends into fantastic chamber music collaboration, also including splendid contributions by pianist Virginia Perry Lamb and violinist Elmira Darvarova (a former Metropolitan Opera concertmaster). Some of the works are newly recorded, while others are only now receiving their premiere recording after first performances over twenty years ago, with the Trio Concertant recorded live, and the Dialogue, and the Sonata-Ballade restored from archival material. All of the works on this release are magnificently performed contributions to the horn repertoire.

Classical Music

As late as the 1960s the cheerfully elated rhythms of mento would be found at every village festival. In the age of modern and Afro-American pop music, however, the most important and oldest folk tradition of Jamaica - which developed from the displaced Africans' contact with European music - has fallen increasingly into the shadows. With violin, banjo, guitar, and rumba box this famous Jamaican group presents a piquant potpourri of mentos, folk tunes, religious songs, and American hits. The songs are not infrequently lewd, and they treat daily life with humor and satire.