Jon Batiste - "Monk Meditations" On Monk Meditations (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 3), multi-Grammy® and Oscar® winner Jon Batiste expands introspective short form compositions by Thelonious Monk into longer form piano works imbued with classical structure and quiet grandeur. Verve; Classical Crossover.

The second installment of the Batiste Piano Series sees multi-Grammy and Oscar winner Jon Batiste reinterpret Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most beloved melodies as Black American classical music, infused with influences from jazz, rags, stride, blues and stomps. The result is a vibrant conversation without words - not about genre, but pure expression.

Vinyl LP pressing. The second installment of the Batiste Piano Series sees multi-Grammy and Oscar winner Jon Batiste reinterpret Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most beloved melodies as Black American classical music, infused with influences from jazz, rags, stride, blues and stomps. The result is a vibrant conversation without words - not about genre, but pure expression.

Sir Anthony's first album released on Decca Classics, Life Is A Dream, brings his passion for classical music to the forefront, presenting a deeply personal collection of original compositions that reflect a lifetime of creativity, imagination, and storytelling. Recorded with the internationally renowned Philharmonia Orchestra, under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, and featuring world-class musicians from Argentinian pianist Sergio Tiempo and Venezuelan cellist Gregorio Nieto to the Bach Choir and the Choristers of Winchester Cathedral. The album showcases Sir Anthony's unique musical voice through a series of cinematic, emotional, and richly orchestrated works, offering audiences an intimate window into a creative life that spans decades and disciplines. Life Is A Dream is the culmination of a lifelong artistic journey and a landmark project for Decca Classics, introducing Sir Anthony's music to audiences worldwide and celebrating an extraordinary new chapter in his creative legacy.

POET & THE PIPER

Verve Records: The Sound of America As an independent record producer going back to the early 1940s, Norman Granz started building a personal network of record companies - disc by disc, artist by artist, innovation by innovation - that grew into a tsunami by the time he sold Verve Records at the end of 1960. It remains a feat unmatched to this day. This 2-CD set celebrates the fascinating spectrum of recordings made during the Norman Granz era of Verve Records. It includes vocal tracks by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday; Charlie Parker with strings; a raucous live jam session; Beatnik poetry by Jack Kerouac and stand-up comedy. Verve Label Group; Verve; Jazz; Catalog

VERVE RECORDS: THE SOUND OF AMERICA / VARIOUS As an independent record producer going back to the early 1940s, Norman Granz started building a personal network of record companies - disc by disc, artist by artist, innovation by innovation - that grew into a tsunami by the time he sold Verve Records at the end of 1960. It remains a feat unmatched to this day. This 4-LP box set celebrates the fascinating spectrum of recordings made during the Norman Granz era of Verve Records. It includes vocal tracks by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday; Charlie Parker with strings; a raucous live jam session; Beatnik poetry by Jack Kerouac and stand-up comedy.

Luigi Nono was a leading figure in post-war serialism, emerging in the 1950s alongside Karlheinz Stockhausen & Pierre Boulez as one of the era's defining avant-garde composers. Composed for 2-channel magnetic tape in 1968, Contrappunto reflects Nono's engagement with international student movements and opposition to the Vietnam War. Drawing on Adriano Banchieri's early 17th-century madrigal-comedy, Nono reimagined it's vocal focus, period materials, and parodic spirit through a contemporary lens. Roland Kayn's Cybernetics III foresaw major developments in synthesis, computing, sampling & sequencing, anticipating profound changes in electronic music. The Avantgarde Series is mastered & cut from the original analog 1/4 inch, 2-track master tapes by Rainer Maillard & Sidney Claire Meyer at Emil Berliner Studios. Limited and numbered, featuring original artwork and a newly designed, beautifully crafted collector's sleeve with new liner notes by Bradford Bailey, and pressed on 180g vinyl.

Giblet Gravy, released in 1968 on Verve Records, documents guitarist George Benson during his early period with the label. Produced by Esmond Edwards and featuring arrangements by Tom McIntosh, the sessions draw on a range of jazz and studio musicians, including pianist Herbie Hancock, bassists Ron Carter and Bob Cranshaw, drummer Billy Cobham, percussionist Johnny Pacheco, and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, alongside a brass and rhythm section assembled for selected tracks. Across these varied settings, Benson's fluid articulation, blues-inflected phrasing, and rhythmic dexterity remain the music's central focus. The repertoire blends contemporary popular material, standards, and original compositions, illustrating the stylistic breadth that would inform his later crossover success while remaining grounded in the late-1960s jazz ensemble format. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Meditations, released in 1966 on Impulse! Records, captures John Coltrane's late-period quartet in transition, expanding into new sonic territory while retaining the core intensity of his classic lineup. Recorded in 1965 at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio with producer Bob Thiele, the session features pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, drummer Elvin Jones, tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, and drummer Rashied Ali. Across the suite-like program, the music flows as a continuous meditation on transcendence and collective expression, pushing Coltrane's spiritual jazz into heightened realms of energy and abstraction. It marks one of the final appearances of his "classic quartet" members Tyner and Jones before they departed, leaving Coltrane to pursue new directions with Sanders and Ali. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

SYMPHONY NO.3, METAPHYSICA; HARP CONCERTO Internationally acclaimed Japanese composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with celebrated harpist Emmanuel Ceysson, in a major world premiere recording that pairs his Symphony No. 3 'Metaphysica' with his new harp concerto - a virtuosic, genre-defying work. 2-LP set.

Double gold colored vinyl LP pressing John Williams Legacy is a landmark collection featuring the maestro conducting his most iconic film scores, including beloved classics from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, E.T., and more. Performed by world-renowned orchestras, including Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, and the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles, these definitive high-fidelity recordings capture the composer's vision with unparalleled authenticity. Featuring liner notes by acclaimed journalist and author John Burlingame, this collection is a powerful celebration of one of film music's greatest careers and an essential addition for fans old and new.

SYMPHONY NO.3, METAPHYSICA HARP CONCERTO Internationally acclaimed Japanese composer and conductor Joe Hisaishi leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with celebrated harpist Emmanuel Ceysson, in a major world premiere recording that pairs his Symphony No. 3 'Metaphysica' with his new harp concerto - a virtuosic, genre-defying work.

With LUNARIS, Bruce Liu delivers his most distinctive album to date: A concept-driven journey through night, imagination and transcendence, built around some of the most iconic piano repertoire ever written. Bruce Liu invites listeners into a nocturnal sound world where sound, silence and imagination converge. The album follows a clear narrative arc - from Chopin's Nocturne to Cage's Dream - guiding the listener through a sequence of inner landscapes, from intimacy to illumination. Anchored by cornerstone works such as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and Waldstein Sonata, the program expands into a carefully curated constellation including Debussy, Bach/Siloti, Mompou, Ligeti and Agnes Obel.

John Williams Legacy is a landmark collection featuring the maestro conducting his most iconic film scores, including beloved classics from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, E.T., and more. Performed by world-renowned orchestras, including Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, and the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles, these definitive high-fidelity recordings capture the composer's vision with unparalleled authenticity. Featuring liner notes by acclaimed journalist and author John Burlingame, this collection is a powerful celebration of one of film music's greatest careers and an essential addition for fans old and new. CD Digipak.

Jon Batiste - "Monk Movements" [LP] On the fourth volume of the Batiste Piano Series, multi-Grammy® and Oscar® winner Jon Batiste returns to some of the music that first shaped his voice at the piano, expanding upon the majestic, contemplative beauty at the heart of some of Thelonious Monk's most iconic works. Verve; Jazz

Limited five 180gm vinyl LP set. Herbert von Karajan's recording of Wagner's 'Die Walkure' features an outstanding cast, including Austrian star soprano Gundula Janowitz (Sieglinde), legendary bass-baritone Thomas Stewart (Wotan), Jon Vickers (Siegmund), and the dazzling Regine Crespin (Brunnhilde). It captivates with it's expressive range and lyrical accents. Karajan skillfully allows his orchestra, the Berliner Philharmoniker, to take a back seat to showcase the great singers. As classical music magazine Gramophone aptly puts it, even half a century after it's release, his recording, "still has surprises in store." For the first time, the ORIGINAL SOURCE SERIES uses the original stereo master tape, a two-track audio tape, as it's source. Remastered by the Emil Berliner Studios on 180g virgin vinyl by Optimal and housed in a 5-LP lift-lid box set. Limited and numbered.

Bruce Liu / LUNARIS - Lunaris / Bruce Liu - With LUNARIS, Bruce Liu delivers his most distinctive album to date: A concept-driven journey through night, imagination and transcendence, built around some of the most iconic piano repertoire ever written. Bruce Liu invites listeners into a nocturnal sound world where sound, silence and imagination converge. The album follows a clear narrative arc - from Chopin's Nocturne to Cage's Dream - guiding the listener through a sequence of inner landscapes, from intimacy to illumination. Anchored by cornerstone works such as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and Waldstein Sonata, the program expands into a carefully curated constellation including Debussy, Bach/Siloti, Mompou, Ligeti and Agnes Obel.

Jon Batiste - "Monk Movements" On the fourth volume of the Batiste Piano Series, multi-Grammy® and Oscar® winner Jon Batiste returns to some of the music that first shaped his voice at the piano, expanding upon the majestic, contemplative beauty at the heart of some of Thelonious Monk's most iconic works. Verve; Jazz.

BLUE ROOM

DONNACHA DENNEHY: LIMINA

Winner of the 2024 Joseph Joachim International Competition, 19-year old Canadian violinist Jacques began playing the violin at the age of two, and has performed across North America, Europe, and Asia. His debut album for Warner Classics offers a varied repertoire for violin - featuring works by Bartok, Brahms, Ysaye, Gershwin and more - and balances technical brilliance with intimate, lyrical moments for a captivating listening experience.

This collection brings together the most enduring works of the classical repertoire, chosen for their timeless beauty and cultural significance. These are essential masterpieces to own once and cherish for a lifetime.

THE DEFINITIVE EDITION OF A 20th-CENTURY ICON Alexis Weissenberg (1929-2012) was one of the most polarizing and fascinating virtuosos of his era. Born in Sofia, Weissenberg made his mark as an exceptional young virtuoso, touring at the age of fifteen and performing with Leonard Bernstein before moving to New York in 1946. He trained at Juilliard and won the 1947 Leventritt Competition. After a decade-long sabbatical in the 1950s to "reconstruct" his technique, he returned to the stage with a style defined by "steel and soul" - a combination of chiselled sonorities, rhythmic precision, structural unity, and a total lack of superficiality. This comprehensive boxset captures his tireless pursuit of musical truth (a vision that continues to provoke and fascinate today), an essential acquisition for collectors of great 20th-century pianism.

With the attention given to Rameau's harpsichord pieces and operas, we often forget that he was also an accomplished violinist: William Christie and Theotime Langlois de Swarte have therefore devised this imaginary concert in which the violin and harpsichord vie with each other in creative inventiveness. The program naturally draws on the best-known opera scenes and arias by Rameau, but also includes some of his contemporaries, in a poetic journey between the theatre, dance and song.