(summary) Laura Lootens' deeply sensitive tribute to music of Romantic essence ranges from Frederic Chopin, in transcriptions by guitarists Jerzy Koenig and Tariq Harb, to La Chanson des vieux amants as sung by Jacques Brel and the sumptuous lyricism of Agustin Barrios Mangore. (complete blurb) As a teenager, Laura Lootens discovered a song by Sting that deeply moved her. From the 1993 album Ten Summoner's Tales, Shape of My Heart has remained her favourite song, to this day. She includes it as an epilogue on her second album for Naive, which she conceived as a heartfelt tribute to music of Romantic essence. At it's core lies Frederic Chopin-the epitome of Romanticism-who with his Waltzes, Mazurkas and Nocturnes delighted the salon society of the nineteenth century, those refined spaces that straddled aristocracy and bourgeoisie. He remains the ultimate embodiment of a Romanticism both profound and exquisitely elegant. Gone, then, is the demonic spirit that haunted the German guitarist's first album, 'Diabolico' (2025, V 8672), which was steeped in mysterious narratives where pacts with the devil and ghostly apparitions abounded. Yet Laura Lootens's playing retains the same poetic incisiveness in this new journey between France and the Americas. From music by Frederic Chopin, presented in subtle arrangements by her seniors, Jerzy Koenig (b. 1956), Tariq Harb (b. 1981) and Agustin Barrios 'Mangore' (1885-1944)-the latter an absolute legend among guitarists, often dubbed the 'Chopin of Latin America', in whom the refined elegance of the Polish composer lives on amid daring harmonies and richly spiced rhythms-the young Lootens, female musician and First Prize winner of the Andres Segovia Competition in 2022, offers a complete map of romantic sensibility, leading all the way to more recent times. She then traces the influence of the 'master of the mazurka', right up to the modern French chanson, including the timeless Hymne a l'amour by edith Piaf and La Chanson des vieux amants by Jacques Brel and Gerard Jouannest, and extends it further into a different aesthetic realm with one of the 24 Preludios Chopinianos (undoubtedly a 'homage') by Brazilian guitarist Sergio Assad (b. 1952). She then also includes the Assad's transcription of the Notturno by John Field, the early-nineteenth-century Irish composer who himself inspired Frederic Chopin in the development of the nocturne as a genre. A gem of the guitar repertoire, the expansive Elegie by Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856), which is imbued with lyricism as haunting as it is intense, marks the culmination of a journey that boldly affirms it's guiding credo. Within these enduring resonances of Romanticism, Laura Lootens communicates a style that alternates between restraint and incandescent intensity, making this album the ideal companion for autumn evenings by a crackling fire.

He Cavatina Duo-renowned Bosnian guitarist Denis Azabagic and Spanish flutist Eugenia Moliner-collaborates with the Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet on River of Fire, an album featuring world-premiere recordings of five original compositions that bridge classical traditions and Gypsy influences. The works, composed for the duo by Sergio Assad, Stacy Garrop, Clarice Assad, Mattew Dunne, and Atanas Ourkouzounov, draw on the music and history of the Romani diaspora, weaving a narrative of migration, displacement, and resilience. The Cavatina Duo is committed to innovation and cultural exploration with a deep understanding of historical influences, from Balkan and Spanish Gypsy music to Indian classical traditions, emphasizing an East-to-West and West-to-East exchange, echoing Gypsy music's historic migration. Each movement of Garrop's Romani Songs explores a different aspect of Romani music, including an original arrangement of Ederlezi, a traditional Romani song depicting the changing of seasons. Garrop was inspired by Romani dancers and her work, performed with cellist Brandon Vamos, incorporates clapping, stomping, and the guitar as percussion. Violinist Simin Ganatra joins in Sergio Assad's Contos Ciganos, a work that encapsulates musical influences from global cultures that permeate the Romani sound. It follows the historical dissemination of the Romani people from the traditional dances of India's Punjab region to Gelem Gelem, a Romani anthem inspired by the unique cultural blend found in northeastern Brazil. Ourkouzounov's Raga Ibraima blends Balkan and Romani musical influences with the traditional Indian raga. This piece pays homage to Ivo Papazov, a Bulgarian-Romani clarinetist who garnered international recognition for bringing his unique musical heritage to "wedding band" music in Stambolovo, Bulgaria. Dunne composed Three Artisans in memory of flutist Tal Perkes. It's three movements-The Painter, The Architect, and The Flute Player-acknowledge Perkes's life pursuits while weaving in European jazz, Flamenco, and Romani musical influences. The Pacifica Quartet joins for Grammy Award-nominated Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad's Uma Mesma Outra Lenda. The work depicts four scenes following the Romani experience of being in constant motion, the fleeting comfort of temporary homes, and the anxiety of instability. River of Fire was produced and engineered by the Grammy-winning team of James Ginsburg and Bill Maylone. The album was recorded on January 4-5 and June 5-6, 2024 in Auer Hall at Indiana University Bloomington.

ChromaDuo (Tracy Anne smith and Rob MacDonald) is one of the world's greatest guitar duos. The works recorded here were all composed within the last 20 years, and four of the five works are dedicated to ChromaDuo. World premiere recordings.

ONE WEEK IN RIO is the phonographic debut of the duo, as well as the world premiere of two exceptional pieces. The title suite, written by Sérgio Assad, and a new version of the History of Tango by Astor Piazzolla. Adam Woch and Robert Guzik are one of the most interesting guitarists of the young generation in Poland. They have made their common debut in one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world – Carnegie Hall in New York. Their debut album consists of two world premieres: the seven-movement suite One Week in Rio by Sérgio Assad, composer and guitarist of the legendary Assad Brothers duo and the famous History of Tango by Astor Piazzolla in a completely new version for violin and two guitars, recorded together with Roksana Kwasnikowska. The remaining repertoire is complemented by works by Latin American composers, which have been the most popular during the last years at the concerts of the ensemble.