CALLING YOU HOME

Alongside Mike Taylor on 'Pendulum', the quartet is comprised of John Hiseman on drums, Tony Reeves on bass, and Dave Tomlin on saxophone.

OYSTER & PEARL

ROTTINCUORE

Doris Brendel & Lee Dunham take an unexpected yet electrifying turn into the world of Blues with their latest album, Big Blue Sky. Known for her powerhouse vocals and genre-defying style, Brendel-who recently won the HRH Prog Angel Award 2024-delivers 13 beautifully crafted Blues tracks that blend raw emotion, soulful melodies, and top-tier musicianship. Featuring a stellar lineup, including Sam Brown (Hammond), Sam Blue (vocals), and Sam White (drums), Big Blue Sky is a masterclass in Blues with a contemporary twist. From classic blues ballads ('Under the Covers', 'Red Letter Blues') to the humour-infused 'Slow Wi-Fi Weekend' and soul-stirring duets ('Is This the Last Time'), the album is a fresh and dynamic take on the genre. Produced by Lee Dunham, Big Blue Sky is available digitally, on CD, and on vinyl (featuring a special 9-track selection). Doris Brendel has performed with some of rock's greats, including Fish (Marillion), Wishbone Ash, and Nils Lofgren, and was even invited to tour with Pink Floyd. With Big Blue Sky, she proves once again that she refuses to be boxed into a single genre, bringing her signature husky, bluesy vocals to a project that is both timeless and innovative.

This release is the second of three major recordings featuring LPO Principal Conductor Edward Gardner during the period of marking 20 years of the Orchestra's acclaimed record label. Dvorak's Symphony No.7 was commissioned by the London Philharmonic Society in 1884. It may not be his most popular symphony, but it's arguably the best. It combines dramatic, dark and flawless structure with radiant melodies cutting through it's intensity. In contrast, Schumann's Symphony No.2 is a deeply personal work, written during the time of his struggles with depression. The melodies blend restless energy with transcendent lyricism, culminating in a cathartic finale. Captured live in concert at London's Royal Festival Hall, these recordings are a testament to the emotional depth and refined artistry of the LPO under Gardner's dynamic leadership.

LEGENDS OF OTRANTO

LIVE: SO DAMN COOL

ENCOUNTERS

WITOLD PLAYS LUTOSLAWSKI

RUSHIN

JOHN HELLIWELL'S SUPER BIG TRAMP BAND

GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE

POLYHYMNIA

LA SABOTEUSE

BEAT BOUQUET

UNPLUGGED LIVE AT MUHLE HUNZIKEN

MASTERS OF THEIR CRAFT / VARIOUS

PLAYS MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL

ELIO SAMAGA HUKAPAN KARIYANA TURU

MASTERS OF THEIR CRAFT / VARIOUS

PARADISE IN THE HOLD

AIN'T THAT SOMETHING

Brahms' Cello Sonata No.1 was composed at a time of great emotional upheaval in 1865. His mother was dying, and the composer having visited her in Hamburg, had immersed himself in the music of Bach for solace. The finale of the sonata has an uncanny resemblance to Contrapunctus XIII from The Art of Fugue. The second sonata is a product of the tranquil summer holiday Brahms spent in the scenic lakeside suburb of Hofstetten, outside Thun in Switzerland in 1886. The work is on a large symphonic scale in four movements, and in contrast to the earlier sonata's pensive and unsettled nature, is bathed in afternoon sunlight. Stanford composed his Ballata and it's companion, the Ballabile in 1918 for cello and orchestra. This is the product of the end of his compositional career, after his 7th and final symphony, and the large scale concertos. Effectively a cello concerto minus a first movement, Stanford made the version for cello and piano the same year. The Ballata is a delightful slow movement.

COINCIDENZE