Nocturnes Remodelled is a striking 2025 release from acclaimed Scottish composer Craig Armstrong, offering a fresh perspective on his 2021 album Music for 2 Pianos. This collection features twelve reimagined pieces, each transformed by a global roster of collaborators across electronic, ambient, and post-classical genres. Artists such as Alva Noto, Mogwai, Robert Ames, aus, and Scott Fraser bring distinct sonic identities to Armstrong's minimalist compositions, creating immersive soundscapes that blur the lines between acoustic intimacy and digital abstraction. The album also includes remixes by Armstrong himself and his son Jack Armstrong, adding a personal layer to the project. From Berlin to Tokyo, Glasgow to London, the remodelling process reflects a cross-cultural dialogue rooted in texture, emotion, and spatial depth. The result is a contemplative yet forward-thinking body of work, ideal for fans of Max Richter, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and ambient experimentalism. Mastered for clarity and dynamic range, both the CD and vinyl editions offer a pristine listening experience tailored to each format. Whether for collectors of modern classical or curators of ambient playlists, Nocturnes Remodelled is a refined and resonant addition to Armstrong's celebrated discography.

The Hidden World of Ella & Louis is a captivating 2XLP vinyl collection that pays tribute to one of the most iconic pairings in jazz history. This carefully curated set brings together the timeless vocal chemistry of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, both as a duo and in their solo splendor. LP 1 showcases the warmth, wit, and effortless elegance that defined their legendary collaborations on songs like "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "Cheek to Cheek," and "Dream a Little Dream of Me." These tracks serve as a reminder of how two contrasting voices could create perfect harmony, delivering interpretations of the Great American Songbook that continue to resonate decades later. On LP 2, we dive into the unmatched individual artistry of each performer. Ella Fitzgerald dazzles with her trademark purity and phrasing on beloved standards such as "How High the Moon," "Someone to Watch Over Me," and "Night and Day," revealing her masterful control and emotional depth. Louis Armstrong's charismatic solo performances on classics like "Mack the Knife," "La Vie en Rose," and "I Get a Kick Out of You" are equally unforgettable, his voice and trumpet exude soul, humor, and a distinctive gravitas that helped shape the sound of 20th-century music. More than just a compilation, The Hidden World of Ella & Louis is an essential collector's item for jazz aficionados and vinyl lovers alike. Housed in deluxe packaging and remastered for optimal sound quality, this double LP offers a unique listening experience that honors the legacy of two giants. Whether you're rediscovering their brilliance or experiencing it for the first time, this album invites you into a timeless musical world where swing meets sophistication, and every note tells a story.

180-Gram Vinyl Limited Edition. The Real Ambassadors features Louis Armstrong's first and only recorded collaborations with Dave Brubeck (also co-composer and conductor of the album), singer Carmen McRae, and the vocal trio of Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and Annie Ross. The Real Ambassadors project, which delivered a strong political message condemning racism, was an original Broadway play written and composed by Brubeck and his wife Iola. THE COMPLETE ALBUM + 2 BONUS TRACKS 180-GRAM VIRGIN VINYL LIMITED EDITION

Vinyl LP pressing. 2024 collection. Louis Armstrong made his first studio records in Richmond, Indiana 101 years ago, recording acoustically because microphones hadn't yet been invented. Microphones eventually allowed Armstrong to begin recording electrically to disc and, later, to tape in the mono and "hi-fi" eras. Beginning in the late 1950s, Armstrong began making records in revolutionary stereophonic sound. He had seen and conquered every trend in recording technology between 1923 and his death in 1971-and he continues to conquer them into the 21st century, over 50 years since he passed away. Today, with the advent of streaming and the resurgence of popularity in LPs, there is more music available to the public to listen to than at any previous time in history. Yet, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, people from around the world still choose to listen to Louis Armstrong, much more so than any other artist born at the turn of the 20th century. The question remains: Why? This new collection helps to provide answers.

2024 collection. Louis Armstrong made his first studio records in Richmond, Indiana 101 years ago, recording acoustically because microphones hadn't yet been invented. Microphones eventually allowed Armstrong to begin recording electrically to disc and, later, to tape in the mono and "hi-fi" eras. Beginning in the late 1950s, Armstrong began making records in revolutionary stereophonic sound. He had seen and conquered every trend in recording technology between 1923 and his death in 1971-and he continues to conquer them into the 21st century, over 50 years since he passed away. Today, with the advent of streaming and the resurgence of popularity in LPs, there is more music available to the public to listen to than at any previous time in history. Yet, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, people from around the world still choose to listen to Louis Armstrong, much more so than any other artist born at the turn of the 20th century. The question remains: Why? This new collection helps to provide answers.

Translucent Blue. An absolute treasure, with outstanding sound that brings the great instrumental and vocal prowess of the greatest jazz man ever front and center. Louis has long been recognized as the most influential trumpeter ever, but his vocal talents have often been overlooked.

Louis Armstrong made a greater impact on American popular music than any other single artist before or since. "What A Wonderful World" became his biggest commercial success, first in the UK and decades later in the rest of the world. Armstrong traveled to England to celebrate this unexpected hit and gave his last great performance, which found him looking back at his entire musical career. That performance, recorded at BBC studios in 1968, was miraculously captured in high fidelity audio and video, and we are proud to release this collection for the first time.

Louis Armstrong made a greater impact on American popular music than any other single artist before or since. "What A Wonderful World" became his biggest commercial success, first in the UK and decades later in the rest of the world. Armstrong traveled to England to celebrate this unexpected hit and gave his last great performance, which found him looking back at his entire musical career. That performance, recorded at BBC studios in 1968, was miraculously captured in high fidelity audio and video, and we are proud to release this collection for the first time.

This 1956 concert by Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars is a historical gem, which is finally getting it's vinyl debut with this double LP release. Recorded on March 26, 1956, at the Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids, MI, it affords jazz fans a chance to hear what the barnstorming Armstrong's shows were like in heartland America. Armstrong's affable presence is pervasive, but not always center stage, as each member of the All-Stars gets his turn in the course of the revue. The release was remastered for vinyl from analog tape and pressed at Pallas Group in Germany on purple vinyl.

Andrew Armstrong's debut album for Rubicon is a fascinating recital of American piano music. The great George Gershwin is represented by his 3 Preludes, plus I Got Rhythm, and his most popular work, the sparkling Rhapsody in Blue, which unbelievably is 100 years old in 2024. Two African American composers, Julia Perry and William Grant Still feature - Still's impressive 3 Visions, and Perry's exquisite Prelude. Aaron Jay Kernis's Before Sleep and Dreams is a 5-movement suite from 1990, which depicts in music the process of putting a small child to bed. It's precedents are Schumann's Kinderszenen and Children's Corner by Debussy. It is a delightful and touching work. Finally, Andrew Armstrong's own composition, She Fell for a Flyfisher, is a beguiling, sparkling miniature.

UK collection. Louis Armstrong had one of the longest recording careers of any artist of the 20th Century. Whilst parts of his career are well represented digitally, his singles from the mid-1950s to the early '60s are often overlooked, mainly because they were issued by many different labels. The collection attempts to remedy this. It features sides from Capitol, Columbia, Dot, MGM, Pye, RCA, Roulette, Verve and more. Some on CD for the first time in their single edits with some previously unissued on CD stereo versions including the complete unedited single versions of 'Calypso' and 'Now You Has Jazz' from High Society and The Five Pennies' 'Saints'. Almost all recordings are extremely rare on CD and of course mastered to Jasmine's usual high standards. A set to fill holes in many an Armstrong collection.

Part of Dot Time's Legends Series, Louis Armstrong Live in France features the audio from a quintessential European performance by the great Louis Armstrong which was recovered from the archives of the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Louis Armstrong Live in France features the audio from a 1948 performance recorded from Louis Armstrong and His All Stars' run at the Nice Opera House in Paris. This historical concert marked Armstrong's performance at the first ever Nice International Jazz Festival.

The 20th century produced no shortage of legendary instrumentalists and vocalists but Louis Armstrong is the only figure who completely changed the way people played music on their instruments and he completely changed the way people sang. Perfecting the concept of the improvised solo, popularizing the use of scat singing, defining the concept of swing - those are just some of the ways "Satchmo" changed jazz, and American popular music - during his lifetime. The Paramount Recordings is a historic 14-track collection of studio sessions the consummate entertainer tracked between 1923 and 1925, recorded at the time for the Paramount label and featuring King Oliver's Jazz Band, Ma Rainey, Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra, Trixie Smith, Wesley Wilson and Coot Grant. Audio remastered for vinyl and pressed at Pallas Group in Germany. Includes insert with liner notes.

Louis Armstrong enjoyed many distinct phases of recognition and success during an extraordinary career spanning some 70 years. An iconic figure, his influence on the world of jazz, popular music and showbusiness is inestimable. Many of his finest and best-loved performances are included on this comprehensive 4CD set drawn from his prolific output during the 1950s and early 60s. This was the era when Louis was playing and singing with a zest and good humour that made him a true ambassador for jazz.

Louis Armstrong was without question one of the most important artists in the development of jazz - his technical skill, his powerful presence and his improvisational genius was such that his peers rapidly recognised him as a model, and his work helped shape the way the language of jazz evolved over the years. From quite early in his career, from the late '30s onwards, he became an entertainer who transcended the genres, appearing in many films, and acquiring a role and relevance outside pure jazz, although his influence continued to pervade the way the music was performed, especially during the New Orleans revival of the '50s and '60s. This collection, however, focuses on that first key decade, when he helped shift the emphasis from collective improvisation to virtuoso solo performance simply through the power and quality of his contribution to the ensembles he played with and led. It includes some of his first recordings as part of the hugely important King Oliver Creole Jazz Band along with selected recordings with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra and Clarence Williams' Blue Five, before drawing most particularly on his landmark recordings with his Hot Five and Hot Seven, which are such an important element of the entire jazz canon. The final section of the collection comprises recordings with his orchestra during the early '30s as he developed his technique further and established his role as a singer and entertainer as much as virtuoso trumpeter and cornettist. It's a great value 48-track 2-CD set at budget price, which provides an insight into a vital formative decade of jazz

James Ehnes presents his third album of chamber works by Bartók. The previous volumes have, along with his outstanding concerto disc, established his formidable reputation as a Bartók interpreter. Here Ehnes is joined by the pianist Andrew Armstrong, violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, and Michael Collins, one of the world’s leading clarinettists.

The Sonatina, originally composed in 1915 for piano, was based on melodies which Bartók had collected during expeditions in Transylvania. The transcription for violin and piano heard here was produced ten years later by a young student of Bartók’s, Endre Gertler.

Bartók composed Contrasts in 1938 for the jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman and violinist Joseph Szigeti, who originally had requested a work in two movements, each with a cadenza for one of the featured instruments. Fulfilling this request, Bartók added a central slow movement, entitled ‘PihenÅ‘’ (Relaxation). The opening movement, ‘Verbunkos’, alludes to a march-like Hungarian military recruiting dance. The finale, entitled ‘Sebes’ (Quick), is a lively romp at the heart of which lies an unexpected episode of haunting calmness.

Besides writing for such outstanding musicians as Szigeti and Goodman, Bartók composed a lot of music for students, including the Forty-four Duos for two violins recorded here. These short pieces take material from a remarkably wide array of folk traditions and interlink the styles and culture of diverse peoples.

This two-CD set offers all the works that Prokofiev wrote for the violin as solo instrument. One of the most sought-after and acclaimed virtuoso violinists today, James Ehnes is accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Gianandrea Noseda and by the pianist Andrew Armstrong, with whom he has previously made a number of highly acclaimed Chandos recordings. The distinguished Amy Schwartz Moretti joins him in the Sonata for Two Violins.- Chandos

Reviews

Orchestral Choice "... James Ehnes’s particular combination of matchless virtuosity, sweet tone, flowing tempi and interpretative restraint suits all this music down to the ground... the contribution of the BBC Philharmonic is distinguished throughout ... Strongly recommended." David Gutman - Gramophone magazine - October 2013

“Wow. Everything works here. James Ehnes rarely disappoints, and the playing on this beautifully recorded two-disc set is immaculate. It’s not just the musicality, the remarkable ability to give shape and colour to the thorniest solo writing, but his modesty – he’s a player who knows exactly when to step back and let collaborators take the spotlight… Unmissable.” Graham Rickson – theartsdesk.com – 28 September 2013

"... Ehnes and his pianist give performances worthy of the giants (Oistrakh and Richter) for whom their parts were conceived." Hugh Canning - The Sunday Times - 8 September 2013

Classical CD of the Week "... Ehnes is joined by Amy Schwartz Moretti for an electrifying performance of the duo sonata... In their mix of lyricism and sharpe-edged rhythmic and harmonic piquancy. Ehnes and Moretti are absolutely spot on in defining the music’s character. This is playing that truly grabs you by the scruff of the neck and commands attention... For the two concertos Ehnes teams up again with an orchestra and conductor he knows well - the BBC Philharmonic and Gianandrea Noseda - who yield apt, complimentary shades of colouring, both brilliant and pungent, to match Ehnes’s superb artistry." ***** Geoffrey Norris - The Daily Telegraph - 28 September 2013

"... the sound is terrific, and given the excellence of the performance throughout, and the convenience of having all of these works ’under one roof’. as it were, there’s no reason to put off acquiring this set..." Raymond S Tuttle - International Record Review - October 2013

"... Prokofiev wrote tuneful music, rich and rhythmic, and James Ehnes is outstanding in bringing this attractive music to life." Peter Spaull - Liverpool Post - 19 September 2013

Decades before World Music became an established category, Béla Bartók was roaming the Eastern European countryside, collecting folk tunes with fellow composer Zoltan Kodaly. He snapped up songs from his native Hungary, but also toted his phonograph on tune-gathering trips to Romania, Slovakia and Turkey. He spent much of 1943 on a research fellowship at Columbia University transcribing Serbo-Croatian folk songs.

As violinist James Ehnes and pianist Andrew Armstrong demonstrate on this new recording, Bartók fashioned some vibrant and colorful arrangements from his folk journeys.

Ehnes has been a familiar face in New York lately; last summer, he performed on a New York Philharmonic broadcast from Van Cortlandt Park and also made a stop for a WQXR Café Concert. He’s been busy in the recording studio too; this wraps a three-part Bartók cycle.

The three sets of folk songs on this recording illustrate how Bartók embraced the tangy exotic modes and wild irregular rhythms of the countryside, which freed him from "the tyranny of major and minor scales," as he put it. Two sets of Hungarian Folks Songs features some jaunty dialogues with the piano and some added effects – pizzicato, harmonics – to make a splash. The Romanian Folk Dances ratchet up the momentum further, particularly in the final “Polka” and the rollicking “Fast Dance.”

The sonatas offer a striking contrast but there's much to admire here too. A Bach-like grandeur underscores the unaccompanied Sonata (1944), written in the in the final months of Bartók's life for Yehudi Menuhin, and yet more traces of Hungarian folk melodies turn up in the Violin Sonata in E minor, written a half-century earlier.

-- WQXR, Album of the Week [1/20/2013]

This new CD in Genuin's Movimentos series features compositions by Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Liszt and pianist/ composer Kit Armstrong, who is a pupil of Alfred Bendel. This new trio also includes Alfred's son, cellist Adrian Bendel. The third member, Andrej Bielow is the first violinist of the Szymanowski Quartet.