Winner of the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2022 and an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2023, the Isidore String Quartet makes it's recording debut on Delos. Formed at The Juilliard School and coached with members of the Juilliard String Quartet past and present-the name Isidore comes from the legendary violinist Isidore Cohen, one of the Juilliard Quartet's early members-the quartet is rapidly making a name for itself on the international concert scene. The album Adorations is a celebration of chamber music at it's essence: a tapestry of joy, human connection, and the enduring resonance of lives intertwined. Each work on the album reflects a unique form of adoration, offering it's own expression of wonder, reverence, and the profound beauty of shared musical experience. Comprising Joseph Haydn's String Quartet in C major, Op. 20, and Felix Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 44, the recital also features Samuel Barber's celebrated Molto adagio and Florence Price's Adoration.

October 29, 1923 was a date steeped in history. In the middle of a year of political and economic crises, the age of public radio in Germany was ushered in with the first broadcast of the "Berliner Funkstunde" (Berlin Radio Hour) from the attic of an office building on Potsdamer Platz. Radio offered entirely new possibilities for the production and reception of music. The two compositions on this CD not only benefited from these developments but also played an active role in shaping them.

Eduard Künneke's five-movement Concerto grosso "Tänzerische Suite" op. 26 for jazz band and large orchestra corresponded to modern dances: the Overture is a Foxtrot, the Andante a Blues, the Intermezzo a Tango, the valse mélancolique a Boston Waltz, and the Finale a Foxtrot again. The suite was celebrated as a milestone in contemporary radio music and soon became part of the regular concert program.

Hanns Eisler's cantata "Tempo der Zeit" (Tempo of the Times) op. 16 for soloists, narrator, choir, winds, and percussion was written in 1929. The libretto was written by the popular lyricist Robert Gilbert, under the pseudonym of David Weber. With its pure wind ensemble and percussion, "Tempo der Zeit" captures the typical Songspiel sound of the time. The fact that Eisler used the "modern" medium of radio, of all things, to get his fundamental criticism of blind enthusiasm for technology across to the people is an ironical aspect of the work’s composition and reception history. This CD is part of the special programme focus on the topic "The Wild Sound of the Twenties".

Frühling is also a project that decisively sheds light on the figure of Andrés Isasi (1890-1940), one of the most singular and underrepresented composers of early 20th-century Spain. At the heart of the album, Goikoetxea and Fernández Aguirre offer the world-premiere recording of the complete Lieder-Album op. 16, a cycle composed in Berlin in 1913 and virtually unknown until today. These fourteen songs reveal a cosmopolitan Isasi at a moment of full creative maturity, shaped by his Central European training with Engelbert Humperdinck and attuned to the late-Romantic and Jugendstil currents of his time. The cycle blends intimate lyricism, legendary evocations, decadent impulses, and a refined harmonic language of striking modernity. Works such as Ali Bey, Frühling, Die ungetreue Luise, or Vergiftet sind meine Lieder display a uniquely personal voice that bridges the German Lied tradition with Basque imagery and an advanced European sensibility that was unusual for it's time. Goikoetxea and Fernández Aguirre stand out for their elegance, their textual insight, and their ability to convey the emotional universe-at times naïve, at times shadowed, always intensely poetic-of a composer whose vocal output was long overdue for a first-rate artistic rediscovery. The programme is framed within a broader exploration of Heinrich Heine's profound impact on European music. The album is completed with lieder by Liszt, Grieg, Ives, Rubinstein, Boulanger, Backer-Grøndahl, MacDowell, Sgambatti, and Castelnuovo-Tedesco, composers who, like Isasi, were captivated by the emotional depth and symbolic power of the German poet.

This captivating new recording by violinist Viviane Hagner brings together two composers whose music, at first glance, seems to come from very different worlds-yet reveals striking artistic affinities. Max Bruch, a pillar of German Romanticism, and Alexandre Tansman, a cosmopolitan Polish composer who spent much of his life in France, share a gift for melody and expressive nuance. Hagner, joined by the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Lukasz Borowicz, offers radiant performances of Bruch's Konzertstück and the beloved Kol Nidrei, alongside Tansman's rarely heard Violin Concerto and Cinq Pièces pour violon et petit orchestre. Recorded in July 2025 at the Poznan Philharmonic Hall, the album highlights the rich cultural threads linking German and Polish musical traditions, as well as the composers' shared appreciation for their Jewish heritage. With her luminous tone and keen musical insight, Viviane Hagner brings these works to life with both emotional depth and precision. This album is an invitation to rediscover two remarkable composers-and to experience the beauty and breadth of a repertoire that deserves far wider recognition.

Recorded on Victor and Decca in the 1920s and 30s, Sleepy John Estes was a leading exponent of the Memphis blues style. These recordings capture the distinctive sound of Yank Rachel's legato mandolin lines and Jab Jones' rhythmic piano accompaniment, as well as Estes' skill at singing the narrative blues.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in tip-on jacket. Released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series celebrating 70 years of Contemporary Records, saxophonist Art Pepper's classic big band album, + Eleven, features modern jazz classics by Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and more. First released in 1960 and recorded by legendary engineers Roy DuNann and Howard Holzer, this reissue features all-analog mastering from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman.

The success of the earlier release by this trio (SCCD 31122 “The Touch Of Your Lips”) brought the group together again this time for “live” recording at club Montmartre packed with Baker fans. Radio Free Jazz wrote, “ His present playing is extraordinary, the best of his career, and he has never found a more empathetic context than this trio with guitarist Raney and bassist Pedersen... The interplay among these three superb musicians yields a quality of collective improvisation comparable to that of Bill Evans’ greatest trio....”

After his active performing/recording period in the 80s and 90s Stanley Cowell has devoted his enormous talent in music education at the renowned Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. Cowell’s previous release SCCD 31704 “Prayer For Peace” in 2010 was his first album in over a decade which evoked Mike Shanley of JazzTimes to comment, “… his phrasing, chordal voicings and use of space are impeccable….a hard-swinging trio never goes out of fashion…” Here on his new album Stanley formed a new trio with his two former students from Rutgers University to reveal that he remains a master of his material and instrument.

The collaboration between Duke Jordan and SteepleChase in the 70s represents a major body of Duke Jordan’s creative output both as performing artist and as composer. Duke led his regular trio with Wilbur Little and Dannie Richmond during the extensive Scandinavian tour in the autumn of 1978. This release is from the concert at the Art Museum at Høvikodden, Norway, filled with Duke Jordan’s melodic magic.

Stanley Cowell during the last five decades has not only been active on the jazz scene but also devoted himself in the musical education of younger generation. Now his well-earned retirement from teaching at the Rutgers enables him to spend more time in performing and recording. The latest album, which is his 13th release on this label, Stanley Cowell presents himself as a supreme interpreter of jazz’s standard titles. “…it's a great pleasure to hear Stanley Cowell's It's Time: a finely crafted collection of mostly originals that is at once sophisticated, both aggressive and pensive, and simply fascinating to listen to.” (Greg Simmons – AJJ on “It’s Time” SCCD 31740)

One of the greatest American jazz pianists Stanley Cowell has been more active as a dedicated educator than a recording artist in the last 10 years. Cowell now makes his recording comeback to delight us with his finest works. “ After more than a decade away from the recording studios, that fine and highly-regarded pianist/composer Stanley Cowell returns, and at the same time unveils a shining bright talent in his 20-year-old daughter Sunny, a fresh-sounding vocalist and accomplished viola player ” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)

Best-known for her classic 1955 Top 10 hit "Cry Me A River", Julie London was a fine sultry-voiced jazz and pop singer, who enjoyed her greatest popularity during the "cool" era of the late '50s and early '60s - Billboard magazine named her as the most popular female vocalist of 1955, '56 and '57. Although she sang as a child with her parents' vaudeville act on radio, the first decade of her career from 1945 was as a Hollywood movie actress, becoming a popular pin-up girl of GIs, and appearing with the likes of Gary Cooper. Beginning her recording career in 1955, she scored a hit with her first release for Liberty, "Cry Me A River", and over subsequent years released around twenty singles for the label, as well as having a regular output of concept albums, showcasing her smoky and sensuous vocal style with a mixture of sophisticated pop and mainstream jazz material. This great-value 58-track 2-CD collection comprises her debut recordings on an EP recorded for the Bethlehem label (the tracks were later released as singles by Liberty), and all her A and B sides for Liberty through to 1962, some of which came from her LP releases, plus selected tracks from the seventeen albums she released during those first important years of her recording career. As well as "Cry Me A River", it includes what was one of her best-known recordings, her vocal version of the jazz cha-cha "Desafinado (Slightly Out of Tune)" from 1962. "Cry Me A River" has been revived by many high-profile artists over the years. Julie London is an artist who has not received the accolades she deserved as a sophisticated jazz/pop singer to compare with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee, and this collection will help underline her distinctive talent.

Vinyl LP pressing. The Soul Album is the fourth studio album by American soul singer-songwriter Otis Redding, released in 1966. Otis Ray Redding was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s. During his lifetime, his recordings were produced by Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee. Initially popular mainly with African-Americans, Redding later reached a wider American pop music audience. Along with his group, he first played small gigs in the American South. He later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. He also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

Archive collection from the soul great. The 12-song Dock Of The Bay Sessions collection was compiled with input from Roger Armstrong of Ace Records and Otis biographer Jonathan Gould and has the Redding family's full endorsement. Although the individual tracks have been previously released across a smattering of posthumous albums and compilations, this marks the first time they have been assembled to resemble what this album could possibly have been. In the liner notes, musician-journalist Bob Stanley writes: "This album is the first indication of a new Otis Redding, one that has slayed audiences in Europe, one which won him a whole new crowd at the Monterey International Pop Festival."

Since his retirement in 2013 from the professorship at the prestigious Rutgers University, where he led its jazz department, pianist/composer/educator Stanley Cowell has been increasingly active on the scene both in concerts and recordings. This new album with a featured program of Christmas melodies (Xmas Suite) will be introduced to the audience at New York’s Smoke Jazz & Supper Club. “…it's a great pleasure to hear Stanley Cowell's It's Time: a finely crafted collection of mostly originals that is at once sophisticated, both aggressive and pensive, and simply fascinating to listen to.” (Greg Simmons – AAJ on “It’s Time” SCCD 31740)

Vinyl LP pressing. 'You Should Be Here' is the second and debut commercial mixtape by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. 'You Should Be Here' features guest appearances from Lexii Alijai, Chance the Rapper, and BJ the Chicago Kid. Mixed by Joe Fitzgerald, the mixtape predominately features production by Jahaan Sweet, along with production from JMike, Madmax, Geoffro Cause and Ted Digtl, among others.

“Bud was a genius piano player–the best there was of all the bebop piano players.” - Miles Davis “If I had to choose one single musician for his artistic integrity, for the incomparable originality of his creation and the grandeur of his work, it would be Bud Powell. He was in a class by himself" – Bill Evans Bud Powell 1962 is something we at SteepleChase have been obsessed with for a while. The previous release SCCD 36040 “Bud Powell 1962 Copenhagen” was from the recordings made at the Danish Radio Concert Hall and Jazzhus Montmartre. What we have here is from the same year from the fabled Golden Circle where SteepleChase’s 5-volume releases At The Golden Circle come from. The Swedish part of this release were recorded two days prior to those SteepleChase releases. Bud Powell travelled on to Oslo Norway the same year to perform some memorable tracks captured here before going back to USA for the last time.

Crystal Clear Vinyl LP pressing. By 1965, Otis Redding was already a force to be reckoned with, well on his way to earning his King of Soul® title. Then, he released this collection, which is absolutely foundational to any soul vinyl collection. This album includes Otis' soul-searing lament "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)," a cover of The Rolling Stone's "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" that is wholly original, the world's introduction to "Respect" before Aretha made it her own, and Otis' perfect versions of "My Girl," "Wonderful World," and "A Change Is Gonna Come", standards like "Rock Me Baby" and spirituals like "Down in the Valley."

US 180-gram vinyl pressing. Extension of a Man is an album released by the R&B/Soul singer Donny Hathaway in 1973. It was his last studio album. It's noted for including a young Stanley Clarke of (then) Return to Forever on a couple of tracks, as well as drummer Fred White, brother to Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White (who worked with Hathaway in Chicago in the early days).

Distinguished pianist/composer Stanley Cowell (b. 1941 Toledo, Ohio) embarked on his jazz career in the mid-60s. Ensuing his rapid raise to the prominence Stanley Cowell made indelible contribution to jazz over the next 60 years. Even though he’s been dedicating more time in educating younger generation and composing for classically oriented larger ensembles since the 80’s, he stayed close to jazz releasing 15 albums for SteepleChase. His latest album here from October 2019 finds this stately Professor Emeritus cutting loose at the famed Keystone Korner in Baltimore with his handpicked two-horn quintet plus a guest vocalist Sunny Cowell. “The Cowell album portrays a fascinating piano stylist with many ingredients under his fingers. The programming, like Cowell’s lines and contrary motion, flows beautifully…The set confirms Cowell as a melodic and harmonic delight and a clever dealer of rhythmic wild cards. It’s good to have this update.” (Kirk Silsbee – DownBeat **** SCCD 31809 Reminiscent)

The decade long collaboration between pianist Stanley Cowell and guitarist Vic Juris as fellow faculty members at the renowned Rutgers-Mason Gross School of the Arts produced here a fantastic “new world” of sounds of contemporary jazz. The latest and most powerful version of sound design soft wear called KYMA in the hand of creative artists dazzles us with the unique real-time music with no after-production touch-ups but expanded horizon of improvisation. The rhythm section of the quartet is two enormously talented former students of Cowell: bassist Tom DiCarlo and drummer Chris Brown.

The unforgettable sound of Sarah Vaughan is captured in this collection of essential recordings. From the swinging hits, "Lullaby Of Birdland" and "It's Crazy", to her best-loved recordings, including "Misty" and "Broken-Hearted Melody", this album highlights Vaughan's impeccable phrasing, emotional depth and remarkable range. Whether backed by a trio or a full orchestra, singing hits of the day or jazz standards, every track serves to remind us why Sarah Vaughan is still known as 'The Divine One'.