Classical Music

BIG BAND CLASSICS (1931-1940)

Far Away Places: Nostalgic Songs of Travel

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Jeepers Creepers

Classical Music

On its eponymous album, "Blue Shadows" consists of four musicians with different musical backgrounds. Cellist Jirí Bárta is a virtuoso known in the world of classical music, an excellent drummer Martin Novák plays with Lenka Dusilová, Jana Kirschner and David Doružka, versatile guitarist Josef Štepánek performs and records with many artists of alternative and pop music, and guitarist Petr Ostrouchov is known mostly as a composer of film music (with five nominations for the Czech Lion award), and from his former long-term participation in the band Sto zvirat. The project of their joint album arose naturally from their last year’s collaboration on recording of the score for the Czech TV miniseries "Blue Shadows". Each of the musicians contributed to the album with his original abilities and the diversity of their individual musical careers has become an advantage: the result seems to be a natural sum of their diverse musical experiences and skills. The album, mixing genres and influences covered mostly by the term "americana", i.e. american acoustic music, country, jazz and folk music, is in its majority an instrumental one and consists of recordings of compositions mostly scetched in the course of recording. Guest vocalist James Harries is featured in two songs, including the title song "Blue Shadows" from the TV miniseries of the same name.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Personnel: Lionel Hampton (vibraphone, piano); Clifford Scott, Alix Combelle (tenor saxophone); Walter Williams (trumpet); James Cleveland, Al Hayse (trombone); Milton "Mezz" Mezzrow (clarinet); Claude Bolling (piano); Billy Mackel (guitar); William Monk Montgomery (electric bass); Curley Hamner (drums).

Recorded live at Ecole Normale De Musique, Salle Pleyel, Paris, France on September 28, 1953. Includes liner notes by Claude Carriere.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

This is part of RCA/Victor's Original Vogue Masters series.

Personnel: Lionel Hampton (piano, vibraphone); Billy Mackel (guitar); Alix Combelle (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Cleveland (trombone); Claude Bolling (piano).

Recording information: Ecole Normale De Musique, Paris, France (09/28/1953).

Widely acclaimed as one of the finest recordings of Claire Martin's career, Too Much in Love to Care (Claire Martin sings with Kenny Barron) was named 'Best New Album' at the 2013 British Jazz Awards and 'One of the Best Albums of 2012' by Jazz History Online. Upon it's release, Too Much in Love to Care received several five star reviews with Jazz Times describing her vocal talent equal to that of Ella Fitzgerald and Shirley Horn, two of Claire's idols. Too Much in Love to Care is a collection of classic romantic songs and beautiful ballads from The Great American Songbook including Gershwin's Embraceable You and How Long Has This Been Going On? and the title track from Sunset Boulevard. Too Much in Love to Care was recorded in New York and guest stars Kenny Barron, 'one of the top jazz pianists in the world' (LA Times) alongside bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. The chemistry was immediate and many of the tracks were recorded in just one take, remarkable as it was the first time Claire and Kenny had played together.

The quintet from Bengt Berger's much praised last album Beches Brew has grown to nine members in this live recording from two nights in Stockholm and Gothenburg. The mix of tradition and new modes of expression, as well as the impulses from some of the great traditions of the world, and the collective approach to ensembles and solo work shows a strong relationship to Charles Mingus' way of making music.

Classical Music

Classical Music

The three sessions here were recorded in N.Y.C. in 1945 - 2 live sessions (Apollo Theatre and Zanzibar Club) plus one studio session (Radio City Music Hall). The 143 minutes (44 tunes) of music on this double-CD have never been released before. The repertoire is classic Ellington/Strayhorn material - including one Strayhorn medley and two suites ("Trio in Blue" and "Perfume Suite") - plus several tunes which were never recorded commercially. Recorded at the end of WWII, the purpose of these three programs - besides providing wonderful music - was to promote the sale of U.S. Treasury bonds to help the war effort. A major attribute of this double-CD is the inclusion of several tunes that Ellington never recorded commercially, like "Fickle Fling", "Hollywood Hangover" and "I'd Do It All Over Again". The great musicianship and enthusiasm of Ellington's orchestra includes countless fine solos - especially with Johnny Hodges and Rex Stewart - and features some great vocals by Al Hibbler, Kay Davis and Joya Sherrill.