Ohio-born Jon Hendricks is widely recognized as one of the foremost masters of vocalese and scat singing. His distinctive style involved crafting lyrics to fit instrumental melodies and improvising vocal solos across complex jazz arrangements. Before embarking as a solo artist, Hendricks was best known for his work with the iconic 1950s trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, who revolutionized jazz singing by adding lyrics to famous instrumentals. Hendricks was celebrated not only for his inventive and witty lyricism but also for his rhythmic intricacies. Hendricks' unmistakable voice weaves through tracks, playful and profound, yet always deeply rooted in jazz tradition. These Club 43 recordings, previously unheard until now, introduced Hendricks to a new audience across the Atlantic. Club 43 in Manchester, England, was a pivotal venue in the 1960s jazz scene. It was part of a dynamic network of jazz clubs in the UK that hosted both local and international musicians. Established in 1951, the club quickly gained a reputation for it's intimate atmosphere and dedication to high-quality jazz. Club 43 stood out for it's ability to attract big names while maintaining a local charm. Alongside other famous venues like Ronnie Scott's in London, Club 43 was a regular stop for American jazz artists touring Europe, hosting legends such as Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Roland Kirk and Stan Getz. Recorded April 26, 1968 at Club 43, Manchester, England this is a never-before-released 1968 recording and is available here for the first time on CD. Complete with liner notes from the singer's family and concert pianist.

For the 70th birthday of the great Barbara Hendricks, Erato-France is releasing a new version of her best-selling compilation La Voix du Ciel. Now on 3 CDs, it assembles all titles which have made her the legend she is: Schubert and Gounod Ave Maria, Mozart Exsultate Jubilate, Pie Jesu from Faure's Requiem, Spirituals Nobody Knows, Joshua Fit among many other titles.

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Puccini’s Japanese tragedy Madama Butterfly is given a ravishing production by The Royal Opera. Its alluring imagery of Japan from the 19th-century European Imagination heightens the intense clash of East and West. When the American naval officer Pinkerton seduces the young ‘Butterfly’ Cio-Cio-San, he seems to promise every happiness – but his cruel abandonment leads to her tragic self-sacrifice. Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera and renowned for his interpretations of Puccini, conducts an exceptionally fine cast with the Royal Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Powerful performances show why Madama Butterfly remains one of the all-time operatic favourites. ‘‘Always at his best in Puccini, Antonio Pappano conducts with passionate sincerity.’’ (The Guardian 5 Stars) ‘‘An opera that ranks among the very greatest of the 20th century.’’ (The Daily Telegraph 4 Stars) ‘‘Ermonela Jaho is the best Cio-Cio-San London has seen in years’’ (Independent 4 Stars)
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REVIEWS:

The Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho is one of the great singing actresses of our time. Hers is not a sumptuous soprano, but the colors she brings to her portrayal are astonishing. Her Flower Duet with Elizabeth DeShong's feisty, sympathetic Suzuki is quite beautifully sung. Pappano - arguably today's greatest Puccianian conductor - draws ardent playing from the orchestra, superbly detailed in its commentaries.

– Gramophone

Pappano is particularly alert to Puccini borrowing traditional Japanese melodies; at times he makes you hear this score, as well as the drama on stage, as a tug of war between East and West. It’s Sharpless and Suzuki who steal the show – a consul with a tender conscience from Scott Hendricks and Elizabeth DeShong as a maid who could melt the stoniest of hearts.

– BBC Music Magazine

Also available on Blu-ray

Puccini’s Japanese tragedy Madama Butterfly is given a ravishing production by The Royal Opera. Its alluring imagery of Japan from the 19th-century European Imagination heightens the intense clash of East and West. When the American naval officer Pinkerton seduces the young ‘Butterfly’ Cio-Cio-San, he seems to promise every happiness – but his cruel abandonment leads to her tragic self-sacrifice. Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera and renowned for his interpretations of Puccini, conducts an exceptionally fine cast with the Royal Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Powerful performances show why Madama Butterfly remains one of the all-time operatic favourites. ‘‘Always at his best in Puccini, Antonio Pappano conducts with passionate sincerity.’’ (The Guardian 5 Stars) ‘‘An opera that ranks among the very greatest of the 20th century.’’ (The Daily Telegraph 4 Stars) ‘‘Ermonela Jaho is the best Cio-Cio-San London has seen in years’’ (Independent 4 Stars)

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REVIEWS:

The Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho is one of the great singing actresses of our time. Hers is not a sumptuous soprano, but the colors she brings to her portrayal are astonishing. Her Flower Duet with Elizabeth DeShong's feisty, sympathetic Suzuki is quite beautifully sung. Pappano - arguably today's greatest Puccianian conductor - draws ardent playing from the orchestra, superbly detailed in its commentaries.

– Gramophone

Pappano is particularly alert to Puccini borrowing traditional Japanese melodies; at times he makes you hear this score, as well as the drama on stage, as a tug of war between East and West. It’s Sharpless and Suzuki who steal the show – a consul with a tender conscience from Scott Hendricks and Elizabeth DeShong as a maid who could melt the stoniest of hearts.

– BBC Music Magazine

DETAILS:

Format: NTSC; 16x9 (Anamorphic
Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean
Region: All Regions
Sound: Stereo, Dolby Digital; DTS Digital Surround
1 DVD-9 double-layer disc

Jean-Claude Malgoire conducts his Parisian ensemble, La Grande Ecurie et La Chambre du Roy, in a complete 1979 recording of Handel’s delightful comic opera Serse, best known for its universally familiar opening aria “Ombra mai fu”. The distinguished cast includes Carolyn Watkinson, Paul Esswood and Barbara Hendricks.

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REVIEW:

This is one of the milestone recordings in the history of Handel opera. At the time few of the canon had been recorded, and still fewer in historically-informed practice, as here. Nearly forty years later the recorded sound remains clear and crisp.

Malgoire’s cast is distinguished and creditable, led by Carolyn Watkinson’s assured Serse. Generally she is radiant, but sometimes she is steely, though that means her whizzing cadenzas are well controlled. There is a slightly brittle wobble in Paul Esswood’s singing as Serse’s brother Arsamene, and there are times when he projects more confidently, though there is haunting forlornness in Act One’s ‘Non so se sia la speme’ and his coloratura is accomplished too. Ortrun Wenkel’s Amastre is sometimes foursquare, but elsewhere there is greater colour in her realisation. More distinguished are Barbara Hendricks’s pure-toned Romilda (sounding almost like a treble in some instances) and Anne-Marie Rodde’s coquettish Atalanta. The Ariodate of Ulrik Cold is languid, but Ulrich Studer as the comic servant Elviro is characterful.

– ClassicalSource.com

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Il Trovatore, based on the eponymous play by Spanish playwright Antonio García Gutiérrez, takes us to 15th c. northern Spain to witness the tragic destiny of those under the control of Azucena, who is seeking to avenge the death of his mother. + The first percussion notes are solemn, setting the tone for Verdi’s masterpiece, whose main themes include abandonment, passion, power, love for one’s parents and vengeance. + This production marked the debut of Russian stage director Dmitri Tcherniakov at La Monnaie and the first Verdi interpretation by Marc Minkowski.

Bluesman Jon Hendricks is in Superb Form Here. Featuring such major sidemen as Pony Poindexter and Billy Mitchell, this spirited album is essential to any audiophile's collection. Jon Hendricks helped to originate vocalese, which is the art form of adding lyrics to existing instrumentals and replacing instruments with vocalists. He is also considered to be one of the best scat performers. Jazz critic and historian Leonard Feather called him the "Poet Laureate of Jazz". Al Jarreau has called him "pound-for-pound the best jazz singer on the planet - maybe that's ever been". Mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog master tapes & pressed at RTI. Numbered deluxe laminated gatefold jackets. Only 2500 limited edition copies worldwide on 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

Hector Sandoval, Norma Fantini, Scott Hendricks, Tania Kross, and Rosalind Plowright star in this production of the Giordano opera performed by the Vienna Symphony, Bregenz Festival Chorus, and Prague Philharmonic Choir conducted by Ulf Schirmer.

Hector Sandoval, Norma Fantini, Scott Hendricks, Tania Kross, and Rosalind Plowright star in this production of the Giordano opera performed by the Vienna Symphony, Bregenz Festival Chorus, and Prague Philharmonic Choir conducted by Ulf Schirmer.