An exceptional pianist and invaluable composer, Francis Lockwood is a musician not to be ignored. He owes his success to the rich harmonies in his playing, with a wide variety of references borrowed not only from jazz but also rock and classical music. This album celebrates New York's jazz from the Forties to the Seventies, and swerves from bebop - a tribute to the famous Minton's Playhouse club with Minton's Blues - to the later hard bop and soul jazz colours of the Blue Note label, even allowing an incursion into jazz-rock (Vintage Theme). Produced by David Séchan and recorded by Phil Delire during a week's residency at ICP studios in Brussels, this album gives Francis Lockwood the chance to express the full palette of his composing talents, ranging from ballads (Didier) to the syncopated beat of titles such as Habana Night. The incandescent sax of Baptiste Herbin, a superb contemporary alto, adds freshness and great power to this setting.

The Choir of Sofia (conducted by Ludmila Dimova) interprets the songs of Christmas in the world-known tradition of the Bulgarian polyphonies. Between classical music and a Folk-World-Music of the eastern countries – like the successful “Mysteries of the Bulgarian Voices” – with its antique, pre-Christian and Hellenistic roots, the Choir interprets with grace the song of our Western-countries heritage: “Silent Night”, Tino Rossi’s “Petit papa noel”, “Jingle Bells”, Shubert’s “Ave Maria”, etc. A new discovery of this Christmas songs’ heritage for every public and every age." Patrick Fremeaux

Born into a resolutely Mediterranean culture, Kamlo Barre borrows from the universal nomadic musical language of Andalusia, the Arabs and Hungarian or Romany gypsies. Oriental Minor Blues is a tribute to the itinerant lifestyle of nomadic peoples. The rare finesse of Barre's guitar is an extension of his voice and conversation, his history, with all it's joys and suffering and his own itinerary. On this album, his guitar adopts by turns the accents of the Saracens' mandola, the chitarra battente of the Italians, the lutes of the Moors and, of course, the guitars of Tziganes and Romany gypsies.

"Although the Paris conurbation has a very high population density there are still many areas of special natural habitats within the capitals boundaries and on its outskirts, full of unique natural mixes of sounds. Their distinct sounds are due to the different bird species that make up the music of these natural concerts. The natural sound recorders, Francois Charron and Pierre Huguet, have put together four real concerts of the natural world, followed by an identification guide to the principal, commoner species." Patrick Fremeaux

"This 2CD boxset delivers the recording of a Forum organized by one of the major newspaper in France: Liberation, with the objective of letting two major characters of the subject treated discuss in public. This discussion between Edgar Morin (Philosopher and sociologist) and Claude Lefort (philosopher) was focused on the subject: “Vive la politique ?”. In French." Patrick Fremeaux

Classical Music

“(Jamal’s) apparent comfort conceals a feel for taking a risk - and raising the stakes - which would exert a decisive influence, notably on Bill Evans” Xavier PReVOST Fremeaux & Associes’ « Quintessence » products have undergone an analogical and digital restoration process which is recognized throughout the world. Each 2 CD set edition includes liner notes in English as well as a guarantee. This 2 CD set present a selection of the best recordings by Ahmad Jamal between 1950 and 1960.

“« Martine » is a collection of book series of books for children written in French by the belgians Marcel Marlier and Gilbert Delahaye that every kid knows and remembers all life long! All the events of the everyday life of a 3 to 7 years old child are treated in these series. This Audiobook CD delivers 5 stories read in French by Marie-Christine Barrault: Martine, drôles de fantômes! Martine en voyage, Martine au cirque, Martine a perdu son chien, Martine fait de la voile.” Claude Colombini-Fremeaux

“« Martine » is a serie of book series of books for children written in French by the belgians Marcel Marlier and Gilbert Delahaye that every kid knows and remembers all life long! All the events of the everyday life of a 3 to 7 years old child are treated in these series. This Audiobook CD delivers 5 stories read in French by Marie-Christine Barrault: Martine Il court il court le furet, Martine fait du camping, Martine et l’Ane Cadichon, Martine en montgolfiere, Martine et le cadeau d’anniversaire.” Claude Colombini-Fremeaux

“« Martine » is a serie of book series of books for children written in French by the belgians Marcel Marlier and Gilbert Delahaye that every kid knows and remembers all life long! All the events of the everyday life of a 3 to 7 years old child are treated in these series. This Audiobook CD delivers 5 stories read in French by Marie-Christine Barrault: Martine, drôles de fantômes! Martine en voyage, Martine au cirque, Martine a perdu son chien, Martine fait de la voile.” Claude Colombini-Fremeaux

Frémeaux & Associés and the Grande Mosquée de Paris have joined forces to promote the history, philosophy, cultures and knowledge of the Muslim world. After the death of the Prophet in 632, the Islamic Empire intensified its conquests to extend to Central Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. In less than a century, the Umayyad dynasty created an immense empire based on a caliphate. Then dynasties followed, with the Abbasids taking control, followed by the Fatimids. It is in the crucible of the relationship between the Arab conquerors on the one hand and the conquered on the other that not only an empire but also a civilization and a new religion were gradually developed. Gabriel Martinez Gros retraces the history of this empire, which lasted until the 16th century and from which a great civilization was born, on the scientific, philosophical as on the artistic and literary level. Audiobook, in French.

“« Martine » is a serie of book series of books for children written in French by the belgians Marcel Marlier and Gilbert Delahaye that every kid knows and remembers all life long! All the events of the everyday life of a 3 to 7 years old child are treated in these series. This Audiobook CD delivers 5 stories read in French by Marie-Christine Barrault: Martine embellit son jardin; Martine fait les courses; Martine A la mer; Martine petit rat de l’opera; Martine prend le train.” Claude Colombini-Fremeaux

Today, there is an absolute need for an energy transition, for decarbonized production and for taking into account the finiteness of the resources, in a context of dependence of our societies. Moreover, we will have to accomplish it under the pressure of recurrent climatic accidents, accelerated disappearance of biodiversity and risks of collapse. After questioning the role of energy consumption in history, from the Paleolithic to the Industrial Revolution, via the Greeks, to our contemporary societies, we find that we have the choice between material-intensive, ecologically costly industrial devices. We will have to learn to combine well-being and sobriety. We still need to learn to cooperate in order to conserve these common goods, which are the climate, biodiversity and resources that allow life to flourish.

Recorded in 1988, and dubbed from a cassette tape sold discreetly for whatever buyers paid for it, this album pays tribute to some great Parisian songs in the ‘Chanson’ genre (by Dutronc, Trenet, Vian etc.) and there is a sublime accompaniment from a barrel organ. It was produced by Jean Piero, a jack-of-all-trades (busker, handle-turner, poet...) and also a man of radio, as well as being a visual artist. For 20 years he made a living that was far from conventional: he whirled a handle in Montmartre in front of the Sacré Coeur, with Paris and the world to look at… Here he’s partnered by Gérard Pierron, a wandering minstrel singer who has put music to the works of some great popular poets, from Couté to Brauquier via Leprest and Queneau… This adventure in music shared with Michel Risse and Jean-Philippe Viret arrives like a postcard in sound from the Parisian suburbs, a timeless, invigorating photograph that Frémeaux & Associés are proud to give to the public. Augustin BONDOUX / Patrick FRÉMEAUX

Maybe this is “Jazz according to Laurent Cugny.” Here he chooses some classic material — standards from Duke Ellington, Joe Zawinul, The Beatles, Michel Jonasz – and then introduces a few of his own compositions. The result is Zeitgeist, an album written in a universal language whose music traverses different periods and transcends melodies. Pianist, arranger, composer (and music lecturer), bandleader Laurent Cugny here conducts the best musicians France can offer, in a ten-piece orchestra whose instruments are played with precision and brilliance. Zeitgeist is masterfully electric, taking its colours from Cugny’s taste for the avant-garde at the dawn of the Seventies: it makes you think, and it gives you a kick. A jubilant record where Cugny shows a unique sense of melody, and his vision of jazz history… with a boundless joy in sharing his own definition of jazz. Augustin BONDOUX / Patrick FRÉMEAUX