Rupert Boyd writes: “This is an album of love. But also of despair. And some things in between. Largely conceived, arranged, rehearsed and recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, Songs of Love & Despair contains the music that we were drawn to during this time -- a time of unprecedented stillness and solitude, traveling at most a few miles from our home for months on end. As a married couple we were fortunate to be able to play music together every day, and this collection of repertoire is half love, half longing; from the delicate beauty of Debussy and the joyousness of Boccherini, to the anguish of Messiaen and heartbreaking Appalachian folk songs, which tell the stories of love, life and loss. The album is a testament to this time, and we welcome you to join us as we traverse the emotions that have enveloped us all.” The album encompasses music from Luigi Boccherini to The Beatles to Beyoncé, from Franz Schubert to Florence B. Price to Radiohead.

REVIEW:

Guitarist Rupert Boyd and his wife, cellist Laura Metcalf, have released their second recording and it includes transcriptions of well-known pieces such as Debussy’s ‘Arabesque No. 1’ with delicately articulated arpeggios by the guitar providing a graceful accompaniment to the lyrical cello melody. Schubert’s ‘Gretchen am Spinnrade’ is delivered fluidly with deep romantic passion in an arrangement by Napoleon Coste (1805–83).

‘A New York Minute’ by Marian Budos, is bursting with energy and close coordination between the two players. Metcalf’s sense of drama and razor-sharp intonation combine to achieve a powerful delivery.

Two arrangements by Lennon and McCartney are pleasantly performed and would be crowd pleasers in concert.

The recorded tone of each of the two instruments is realistic, but the cello is somewhat overpowering on some tracks.

Liner notes are informative and entertaining. All in all, this is an effective project, mixing known works with the new ones—always a plus!

-- American Record Guide (Jim McCutchen)

For more than twenty years, Haruki Murakami's novels have captivated him time and again: for pianist and composer Tim Allhoff, works such as Kafka on the Shore, 1Q84, and Naoko's Smile are more than mere literature-they are inspiration, guidance, and an enigmatic mirror of his own emotional world. With his new solo album Between Here and Nowhere, which will be released on May 15, 2026, by Neue Meister and is now the eleventh album in his discography, Allhoff has created a musical homage to the cult Japanese author, whose books have long since become a soundscape in their own right.

The Alexander String Quartet and guitarist William Kanengiser form a dynamic collaboration that explores the music of Sting, Led Zeppelin, John Dowland and The Beatles by way of contemporary composers Ian Krouse, Dušan Bogdanovic and Leo Brouwer. In this project, William Kanengiser and the Alexander String Quartet pay tribute to a group of English musicians who conquered the musical world with their revolutionary explorations. From the Elizabethan lutenist John Dowland to the pop/rock icons Sting, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, these artists made a lasting impact far from the shores of their small island. Their music served as inspiration for a set of compositions for guitar and string quartet by the talented composers Ian Krouse, Dušan Bogdanovic and Léo Brouwer. It is especially appropriate that the guitar sits squarely at the center of these works, as the plucked string was the primary musical voice of these British innovators.

Storyville Records proudly present the new album Danish Rain from two of the most exciting new artists in jazz, the supreme Scandinavian bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk and the young jazz superstar, pianist Justin Kauflin. This latest addition to the two gentlemen’s musical partnership builds on and expands the soundscape of their previous releases together. This recording consists of 9 tracks, 7 modern and older standards and 2 original compositions from the two players respectively. TF and JK have a shared history going back to 2015, where they were introduced to each other at a gig at the legendary Jazzhus Montmartre. Since then, the two have played, recorded and toured together, increasing their mutual understanding in the process. They both perceive music as colour, a form of synesthesia, where one sense stimulates another. It is an aptitude that permeates this record and boosts the level of interplay to new heights.

This recording is the embodiment of modern and melodic jazz, where musicians from opposite sides of the globe bring their own unique flavour to the table. Certain European aesthetics – evident in Fonnesbæk’s Danish Rain and John Lennon’s Imagine – merge perfectly with Kauflin’s potent American jazz and the beautiful grounds in between. The acrobatic Scandinavian Fonnesbæk displays a sense of swing and propulsion that mingles expertly with the precision and playfulness of the laid-back and elegant Kauflin. Their understated approach makes a powerful statement in itself. Danish bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk is a fascinating musician, who exudes technical brilliance and a superior sense of rhythm, as well as a melodic and harmonic sensitivity reminiscent of Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen that never overshadows his own unique style. Justin Kauflin is one of the greatest piano talents of recent times. Renowned trumpetist Clark Terry and Quincy Jones have both taken the young prodigy under their wings, playing a crucial part in his success. The maturity he displays and focus with which he plays is exceptional. It is a joy to listen to the interplay and the myriad of sounds and emotions created by these wizards of music – a global dance; leaving you wanting even more!

Echo Vocal Ensemble presents Innocence, a bold debut album that moves freely between musical traditions sacred and secular, composed and improvised, classical and popular. Spanning 900 years of musical history, this recording explores the concept of innocence and it's many connections to our changing ideas of faith, tradition, childhood and the natural world. Led by conductor Sarah Latto, Echo takes the listener on a journey through song, from Hildegard of Bingen and Maurice Ravel to ANOHNI, Morrissey, and Meredith Monk.

Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Lennon–McCartney. Names which not many people would expect to hear in conjunction with a string quartet. But the boundaries between classical music and other music — pop, rock, jazz, ragtime — are not so well–defined. In fact, in the ten years between the 20st and 21st centuries, they have become ever more blurred.

Les Beatles (mais pas que) en jazz. Le duo Sara Longo / Alvise Seggi nous invite dans un voyage onirique et intime qui fait voile au gre des melodies du tandem Lennon/ McCarney. Surprenant et envoûtant. Augustin BONDOUX The Beatles in jazz. Lending sails to the melodies of Lennon and McCartney, the duo of Sara Longo and Alvise Seggi takes us on an intimate, dreamlike tour. The result? A voyage of spellbinding surprises. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (FEAT. MATTEO GALLUS) - ELEANOR RIGBY (FEAT. DUDU KOUATe & MICHELE BONIVENTO) - CAN't BUY ME LOVE (FEAT. NICOLA ANGELUCCI) - TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS - ALL THAT MATTERS IS TODAY - FOR NO ONE - COME TOGETHER (FEAT. NICOLA ANGELUCCI) - LET IT BE - NORWEGIAN WOOD (FEAT. FILIPPO VIGNATO) - AND I LOVE HER - ENDLESS LAWNS - QUE JE T'AIME - ALFONSINA y EL MAR. SARA LONGO VOICE - ALVISE SEGGI DOUBLEBASS AND CELLO + SPECIAL GUESTS: MATTEO GALLUS VIOLIN - FILIPPO VIGNATO TROMBONE - MICHELE BONIVENTO HAMMOND ORGAN - DUDU KOUATe PERCUSSIONS - NICOLA ANGELUCCI DRUMS.

Contrast, playful contradiction, daring moments of walking his particular brand of rhythmic tightrope, improvisational interaction. Love for rhythmic complexity. Affection for delicate, atmospheric lyricism. He's a musician grounded by a deep, fundamental knowledge of the inner workings of music, able to create intricate compositional frameworks - David Friedman He´s a star in the making - Bill Milkowski, Down Beat