The world premiere recording of Richard Rodgers's complete score!

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! was first performed in 1943; and was a significant turning point in the history of musical theater. It was the first musical to put drama and plot to the fore; portrayed by rounded; believable characters. It swept aside traditions that had their roots in vaudeville – star turns; comic sketches; and endless lines of high-kicking chorus girls. Oklahoma! does feature dance; but in the hands of the choreographer; Agnes de Mille; this was idiomatic to the plot; and revolutionary in terms of the fifteen-minute dream-sequence ballet at the close of Act I. The first collaboration between composer and writer; the show was a hit; running for more than five years on Broadway; and paving the way for their masterpieces to come.

John Wilson’s long-held fascination for researching original musical theater scores of this period and bringing them anew to modern audiences reaches a milestone with this world première recording of the original score in its entirety (no cuts) and in the original orchestrations for twenty-nine-piece orchestra made by Robert Russell Bennett for the original production. His outstanding cast features Nathaniel Hackmann; Sierra Boggess; Jamie Parker; Louise Dearman; Sandra Marvin; Rodney Earl Clarke; Nadim Naaman; and Leo Roberts; ably supported by the ‘Oklahoma!’ Ensemble – twenty-two artists drawn from London’s West End. Wilson comments: ‘I love the connective tissue of the piece; the scene-change music; the ballet; the songs that sometimes get cut; the underscoring. And when so many vastly different new versions are appearing on stage; it’s more important than ever that we have a document of the actual source material.’

REVIEWS:

Of course, this isn’t a remake: it’s a 21st-century Oklahoma! that treats this score with the respect due to a masterpiece and the full-blooded emotional engagement demanded by a living work of art. You wouldn’t mistake it for a live theatrical performance; the singers and orchestra are too skilfully balanced for that. But the revelation of Bennett’s full orchestral palate, the generosity of the singing, and the effortless verve of the Sinfonia’s playing more than compensates.

The original cast recording is already essential listening for anyone who loves Oklahoma! – and now this is, too.

-- Musicals Magazine

If most of the songs are either sweetly romantic or bouncing with energy, there is one section that approaches the darker side of the protagonists’ lives and that is Jud Fry’s solo that sums up his position as an outsider – ‘Lonely Room’ to which Clarke brings a sense of loss and he even gets to sing his own swan song in a duet with Curly for ‘Pore Jud is Daid’. I suppose Rodgers and Hammerstein left the best song for the end of the show, not that the rest of the score is anything but excellent. It is of course the title number, ‘Oklahoma!’ which brings the show to a magnificent finish and includes, naturally enough, an encore.

With every note from the original production, every scene change and every dance sequence included on John Wilson’s magnificently complete recording of Oklahoma!, who could want or ask for anything more?

-- MusicalTheatreReview.com

John Wilson proves an exceptional advocate, bringing to the piece the same expertise and mastery he would accord to the symphonic repertoire of which he has become an equally admired interpreter...An essential set for fans of the piece.

-- BBC Music Magazine

Magnificently iconic tenor player to come out of the post-Swing Era Eddie Lockjaw Davis (1922-1986) cut two albums for SteepleChase during his late years. This album was recorded in 1983 in Copenhagen, which earned superlative reviews all over the world. “Tenorman Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis had already been a potent force in jazz for 35 years when he recorded this set but as it turned out his SteepleChase date (his next-to-last session) was one of the strongest of his career. Accompanied by a trio led by pianist Kenny Drew, Lockjaw really tears into these standards which are highlighted by "I Only Have Eyes for You," "There Is No Greater Love" (the alternate version was released for the first time on its CD reissue), "Four" and the title cut. Davis was at the peak of his powers during this recording, making this SteepleChase outing one of his very best.” (Scott Yanow – AllMusic) “Nothing valedictory about this date. No signs of decline. It’s hard to believe it was Jaw’s last album as a leader. Just the thing if you didn’t miss your water until your well went dry.” (Cadence) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

This ninth volume of the Haydn 2032 series focuses on the composer’s psychological subtlety in its focus on a central work: his Symphony no.45, known as the ‘Abschieds-Symphonie’ (‘Farewell’ Symphony), composed in 1772. It is said to have got its nickname from a symbolic message Haydn conveyed to Prince Esterházy when he and his orchestra were required to stay longer than planned in the Prince’s summer residence. On the occasion of the symphony’s first performance, Haydn had arranged for the musicians to leave their places one by one during the final Adagio. The day after the concert, all the musicians were able to return to their families and bid farewell to the Prince, who had obviously taken the point of this poetic request for ‘liberation’ expressed in music. The programme is completed by Symphonies nos. 15 and 35 and a cantata sung by Sandrine Piau, the heart-rending ‘Berenice, che fai?’ on a text by Metastasio that was a real ‘hit’ of the eighteenth century, set by some forty composers. This limited and numbered edition contains two vinyl LPs along with an album of photos by Patrick Zachmann (Magnum Photos) and an unpublished text entitled Adieux by the Swiss writer Franz Hohler.

It is safe to say that the latter half of Dexter Gordon’s European years (1961-1976) found him most inspired and productive. This album recorded in a Copenhagen studio in September of 1975 precedes to Gordon’s most publicised homecoming to the States. With his favourite rhythm section of Montoliu, NHØP and Billy Higgins Dexter is in his pinnacle. It is also noteworthy to know that this is the only studio recording Dexter Gordon and the formidable Catalonian pianist made together. “... Today, more than 30 years after he made his first dates for Savoy, he is playing better than ever... From the opener, Billie’s Bounce, the record settles into a beautiful groove and the interest never lets up...” (Mike Hennessey, Jazz Journal International) “…Almost all Nils Winther’s Danish SteepleChase label releases have been better than the CBS albums, and this is certainly no exception.” (Michigan State News) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

Johnny “Little Giant” Griffin moved to France in 1963 leaving USA where the straight-ahead jazz’s heyday was fast waning. Together with other expatriates such as Dexter Gordon, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke Griffin had highly productive career in Europe. The original version of this 180G LP was recorded live over two nights in 1973 at Copenhagen’s jazzhus Montmartre. “...this is a superb Griffin recording in a long time...” (Swing Journal) “Johnny Griffin in the 1970s remains The Little Giant - a joy to hear and this must be his most representative album in ages...” (Coda) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

A brand new recording by Supertramp saxophonist John Hellweill: Our selection of tunes is based on strong melodies from the fields of folk, jazz, rock, pop, and originals by Jasper and me. I suggested that we play three Supertramp tunes, as a lengthy part of my musical life has been centred around the music of Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson. I first heard Don’t Ever Leave Me played by Keith Jarrett. It’s such a beautiful, short and poignant melody that we decided to play four versions and have them act as “bookends” for our music. If you enjoy listening to this music half as much as we enjoyed playing it, our labours of love have succeeded!

Vinyl Version – The only LIVE recording of this colossal piece of the German composer Max Reger. The Piano Concerto is a fairly special pieces: very heavy, very long, very difficult, it requires a permanent and nonstop action of the soloist

One of the most original musicians of our time pianist Paul Bley passed away in 2016 at the age of 83. He left immeasurable influence on the generations of piano players behind him. He was married to Swedish-American pianist/composer Carla Bley in the 50s. Carla’s compositions occupied larger part of his repertoire then. “ …(This CD) features ten pieces by Carla Bley, his former wife, that he has been playing for thirty years but he’s still finding new things in them. Some of these tunes are surprisingly frisky given Bley’s austere reputation…this is another 180g Audiophile Vinyl

Jim McNeely: The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (JOC) is one of the world’s great jazz ensembles. I’ve known some of these musicians since the late ‘90’s. But I’d never worked with the whole JOC until January 2020. Then Juan Martinez, JOC artistic director (and baritone saxophonist), emailed me. He proposed that I write a CD’s worth of music for the band, featuring all their soloists. After many more months of Zoom rehearsals (ugh!), scheduling delays, and even more Zoom (ugh!) we got into the studio in Hilversum for three intense days last November.

Bernard Haitink farewell concert to Amsterdam and the Netherlands, dated June 2019. One of his most beloved works, Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony, in a first ever release. An outstanding account in a compelling sound, furtherly enhanced by the 180 grams double-vinyl LP format.

"Letters to Bach" is a clever, original and beautiful musical project created by Noa and Gil Dor. In "Letters to Bach", Noa and Gil Dor perform 12 short instrumental pieces by Bach that Noa has written lyrics to and performs with incredible agility and brilliance, supported only by Gil's guitar. Noa and Gil have already "wowed" audiences around the world with these "McGuiver" performances of complicated Bach pieces that were not written for voice and rarely ever performed vocally. The synergy between Noa and Gil is mesmerizing, the lyrics full of humor, depth, romance, technology, political and social statements and plain fun.

The music of contemporary composer Sophia Jani is characterized by it's great independence from structures and conventions as well as by it's musical poetry within a minimalist approach. Her debut album "Music as a Mirror" presents works for woodwind quintet, string quartet and piano. In the largely male environment with this album Sophia Jani aims to take a different perspective and position as a unique female voice. Sophia Jani's music lives from influences of various artists of all times and nations: from Bach and Schubert to the European and American avant-garde of the 20th and 21st century, to avant-pop artists like Bjo�rk and Ryuichi Sakamoto, or electronic music producers such as Tim Hecker, Laurel Halo or Skee Mask. In this way, she creates music that spans a dramaturgical arc while suspending any sense of time - calm, powerful, elegant, dance-like. Thus she finds a poetic minimalism that takes it's listeners by the hand and imaginatively and cleverly opens a new horizon.

Unreleased outside of Israel, SHAOT REGISHOT ("Sensitive Hours"), the gold album recorded in Hebrew by Avishai Cohen between GENTLY DISTURBED and AURORA, is now available everywhere on disc and vinyl. For the first time in his career, he does not make an instrumental album, but an album of beautiful songs that he writes and performs, strongly influenced by jazz, some traditional music, revealing a voice with multiple accents and an incredible charm...An essential milestone in his already rich discography.

Elvis Live 1972 LP

The 180g VINYL release of this month Cherryco by Cornetist Kirk Knuffke stands out not only as a creative tribute album but also as the cornetist’s personal testimonial to the legendary Coleman-Cherry Quartet which was the epitome of 60’s avant-garde jazz. Despite generational differences Knuffke was in the inner circle of Ornette Coleman’s life in its later days. To quote from the article by Aidan Levy for JazzTimes – Lessons from Ornette - in 2019 Kirk remarks, “Just playing with him changed who I am and how I play. There was something about being so close to his sound that was really informative…” “Cherryco Is a tribute album in the truest sense. Kirk Knuffke walks a mile in Don Cherry’s shoes.” (Thomas Conrad – NYCJR) “… (Knuffke) puts the emphasis on ensemble interplay, forming an airy, malleable bond with his deft rhythm team while still uncorking one convincing and lyric solo after another. Cherryco feels like a love letter and it’s hard not to share in the ardor.” (Peter Margasak – DownBeat) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

Legendary American piano player/composer Andrew Hill (June 30, 1931 – April 20, 2007) lived an active and fruitful life leaving us a legacy of unique, enigmatic music. Hill, however disappeared from the scene for about a decade in the late 60s. This album and its predecessor SCCD 31026 “Invitation” released in the mid. 70’s paved his way back to the limelight he deserved. Andrew Hill received numerous awards including Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jazz Foundation of America (1997). “... Divine Revelation certainly earns its title, for it reveals to any newcomer to his music… Hill at his most inspired, and most enigmatic ....” (Simon Adams, Jazz Journal International, March 1995) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

The Federal Jazz Orchestra, abbreviated and affectionately named BuJazzO by many, pays tribute to the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band on its new CD. The legendary international ensemble existed from 1961 to 1972 in Cologne and was led by American drummer Kenny Clarke and Belgian pianist, composer and arranger Francy Boland.

Dear body, "In my silence, There's a heartbeat, Surrounded by love. Let's play, Dear body, Surrendering, I am not broken." You are everything, all that we have. You are life, and through you the music is channeled and takes shape. I ask you to keep playing and singing for as long as I exist. (annasara) Through the album's seven tracks, the titles of which together form a complete text, the music on Dear Body becomes an entire story, like the performance of a musical drama for which the stage has not yet been set. The different moods and soundscapes of the songs propel the story forward, painting a complex picture of pain interspersed with playful simplicity and quiet poetry. It is the love of music, and of making music, that is the driving force here, leading to humility and love for the body. This is what the whole album is about. The impressionistic sounds, and the simple yet impactful arrangements, are recognizable from previous albums. Harmonies and instrumentation from classical music are transferred to the singer songwriter form in which Annasara's clear and intimate voice can be heard on four tracks. The last track includes friend and tenor Martin Vanberg. The other tracks are completely instrumental and, in addition to piano and violin played by Annasara herself, we also hear Amelia Jakobsson on cello, Johan Bridger on marimba and Simon Peterson on double bass. All tracks share a sense of chamber music and an organic sound with songlike phrasings and dynamics. All music has been written and arranged by Annasara Lundgren. In the title track Dear Body, two themes from the Sibelius Violin Concerto are first woven into the song's verse and chorus, before being heard instrumentally toward the end.

Four-time Grammy Award nominee Scott Colley was first introduced to SteepleChase in 1994 as a young (30 at that time) and up-and-coming bassist of the Harold Danko Quartet. This is Colly’s SteepleChase debut leader album released on CD in 1997, which received numerous accolades from critics the world over. “Devoid of any grandiose ambition or ego-driven solos, This Place succeeds as illustrating Colley’s remarkable talents as a bassist and composer.” (John Murph – JazzTimes) “This Place is a hardy and no-holds-barred type of affair that speaks volumes for Colley’s aesthetics…. This Place will surely reward earnest and mindful listening with its adroit musical conversation.” (Chris Hovan – AAJ) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

The Deep brings a surprise. It's mostly about the tone of a number of the ballads on it, adding something romantic to his approach, with a gratifying affinity for melody that still feels safe in his own very personal interpretation. And always with that swing. Intelligent but never intellectual, with no pretentious pathos and none of that 'you just gotta listen to this!' feel. In a nutshell, pure.

Limited four vinyl LP set. The latest chapter in Columbia/Legacy's highly acclaimed Bob Dylan Bootleg Series takes a fresh look at Time Out of Mind, Dylan's mid-career masterpiece, celebrating the album and it's enduring impact 25 years after it's original release. This edition includes a new 2022 remix, by Michael H. Brauer, of the eleven original recordings on Time Out of Mind, sounding more like how the songs came across when the musicians originally played them in the room. Also included are 12 previously unreleased outtakes and alternate versions of songs written for Time Out of Mind, including such iconic tracks as "Love Sick", "Not Dark Yet" and "Make You Feel My Love".

SteepleChase audiophile LP Series starts the New Year 2023 with George Cables’ highly acclaimed 1997 trio recording Bluesology, his 7th album on the label. Then at age 53 he was already one of jazz’ luminaries performing and recording with Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Art Pepper, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson to mention a few. “…compelling and rewarding disc.” (Miles Jordan – JazzTimes) “…Bluesology is a distinguished Cables affair while also being just one damn good piano trio record…” (Chris Hovan – AAJ) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

They are among the most striking recordings of classical music ever made: the radio recordings with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Wilhelm Furtwängler, made between 1939 and 1945. Made at the height of the collaboration between orchestra and conductor, Furtwängler’s artistic personality is conveyed here as vividly as nowhere else. You can experience performances whose immediate expressive intensity arises from the moment of performance – and in which not least the existential experience of the Second World War reverberates. In a limited vinyl box with 8 LPs, Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings is now releasing a selection of all the surviving radio recordings that have already appeared on the CD/SACD Wilhelm Furtwängler: The Radio Recordings 1939-1945. With the enclosed code you can also download all the recordings of this edition in studio quality. When he was elected chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker in 1922, Wilhelm Furtwängler impressed the musicians with his unique charisma. It was based on an intriguing interpretative principle: his baton technique avoided very precise gestures and deliberately relied on the blurring of tonal contours. For the remastering of the radio recordings, the best available material was used, in particular original tapes that were taken to the Soviet Union after the end of the war and only returned to Germany in the early 1990s. The recordings were carefully restored before vinyl mastering, digitally scanned using state-of-the-art technology and remastered in 24-bit resolution.

A special, connecting and autobiographical element for this recording is the beautiful city of Salzburg, a place steeped in legend and music history, which became the hometown of all those involved in the production - from the composer to the conductor, the soloist to the orchestra musicians and the orchestra director - at least for an important period of their lives; in the actual as well as in the artistic sense. In addition to well-known repertoire, Rafael Fingerlos' recording also offers delightful trouvailles such as the rarely performed aria of Allazim from Zaide "Nur mutig mein Herze! ", the little concert aria Un bacio di mano and even a veritable world premiere recording: the so rarely performed and extremely Mozartian-daredevil cabaletta of the Conte Aria, comprising fourteen (!) high Gs, which Mozart composed especially for the Conte singer in the Viennese Figaro premiere. Beautiful, virtuosic, wild and spectacular. The following applies to this recording: less is more. Less editing, always opting for natural and musical phrasing. And the aim is always to achieve a sound that is as close as possible to the live experience and that can also be reproduced in concert at any time. As authentic and above all as natural as possible.

Sofie Vanden Eynde writes of her newest release: “Would it be possible to articulate the inner reality of a burnout musically: to make a burnout audible, tangible, understandable and, who knows, avoidable? The result is Vanishing Point / Verdwijntijd, an autobiographical recital, a musical narrative, a journey: somewhere between fragile comfort and cautious happiness. Vanishing Point / Verdwijntijd can be listened to in different ways: not only as a lute recital, but also as a radio play with voice, lute and soundscapes.”