There is one phrase that Rudens Turku uses repeatedly whenever he is discussing his work: “to sink into the note.” The German-Albanian violinist employs it to underscore his principal concern, which is to feel his way into the deeper layers of a composition and at the same time to be aware of the story of its composer’s life and of the way in which that life is embedded in a particular period and its political background. He finds an almost ideal opportunity to do this in the music of Astor Piazzolla - concert music by a cosmopolitan Argentine musician of Italian ancestry who grew up in the United States.

This album is a collection of classic melodies from the repertoire of Ben Webster’s famous employer of many years, Duke Ellington. The album is comprised of three live radio sessions with the Danish Radio Big Band in 1969 and 1971, plus live concert sessions with two different backing trios (Finland in 1967 and Denmark in 1969). Aside from one tune, all the performances with the Danish Radio Big Band are based on Ellington’s original scores. The quartet sessions are also great - one with Ben’s boss from the early 1930’s, Teddy Wilson, and the other with Kenny Drew. That Ben Webster was one of the undisputed jazz greats on the tenor saxophone - both in a big band and small group context - is amply illustrated on this fine album.

This summit meeting of the two giants of post-war American jazz attracted enormous attention and accolade from the world jazz fans when released in 1974. Jackie McLean (1931 - 2006) and Dexter Gordon (1923 - 1990) who were at their pinnacle of creative aptitude joined forces to thrill the packed fans at Copenhagen’s Jazzhus Montmartre in the summer of 1973. After 49 years this 180g audiophile version may bring back the heat wave of jazz in Europe of the 70s. “…McLean and Dexter are naturals to play together and on this album they are both at their best.” (B. McRae – Jazz Journal) “This LP is a live recording of the best jazz performance from European live scene of 1973. I firmly believe that this document will carry its immortal value for the years to come…” (Teruo Isono – Swing Journal) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

Increasingly, Shostakovich's music is captivating people all over the world and appealing to their deepest emotions. Almost like no other, it bears witness to a traumatic political epoch while remaining a timeless expression of existential human feeling and experience. For me personally, said conductor Mariss Jansons, who died two years ago, "Shostakovich is one of the most serious and sincere composers of them all." Shostakovich's (first) piano concerto features impressive pianistic virtuosity, bold experimentation, satire, and caricatures of different musical styles. The composer wrote it in the summer of 1933, only a few weeks after the completion of his opera " Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk". He himself called it a "mocking challenge to the conservative-serious character of the classical concert attitude". This concerto in particular demonstrates the immense versatility and magnificent talent of the still carefree 26-year-old Shostakovich. He blends a wealth of musical thoughts and ideas into a colorful and fascinating kaleidoscope. Despite the wealth of different stimuli, the concerto does not seem chaotic or overloaded: the young composer effortlessly maintains the balance.

Shostakovich performed a similar balancing act between creative work and conformity to the state in his Ninth Symphony, which premiered on November 3, 1945. Instead of the expected heroic, regime-conformist orchestral thunder along the lines of his Seventh Symphony, the "Leningrad”, the music heard here was playful, without pathos, somewhat witty, full of allusions – yet something did not seem quite right. This musical conundrum, full of ironic refractions and caricatures of melodramatic and triumphant music, was recognized by the censors as a masquerade, yet one that was not easily decipherable. Shostakovich had mocked Stalin without the latter noticing.

A few years after the success of her album crossing Baroque music with folk, Love I Obey (ALPHA538), the Franco-American singer Rosemary Standley visits Schubert, this time with the complicity of the ensemble Contraste: ‘We all have a few notes of Schubert buried deep inside us’ say the artists, who have got together around his music and brought to it an original sound texture, the result of their varied influences – classical, pop, jazz, folk. They have picked some of the best-known lieder (Ständchen, selections from Winterreise, etc.) and universally loved instrumental pieces, incorporating in them rhythms from other countries and instruments unusual in this repertory: the jazz trumpet of Airelle Besson, the guitar of Kevin Seddiki, the percussion of Jean-Luc Di Fraja join forces with the piano, violin, viola and cello of Contraste – not forgetting the exceptional participation of the soprano Sandrine Piau, who joins Rosemary Standley for several duets. The arrangements are by Johan Farjot.

Joe Locke recorded this album in 1991, when his name as a new vibraphonist was gaining serious momentum on the NY scene. Following his highly acclaimed debut album “Present Tense” (SCCD 31257) and the ensuing “Longing” (SCCD 31281) from SteepleChase this third album showcases Locke’s lyricism in a ballad collection accompanied by the master Kenny Barron. “if your mood of the moment is to surround yourself with something soft and lovely, Locke and Barron will make things beautiful.” (Cadence) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

Now on vinyl! The accordion is an instrument that is deeply rooted in Lithuanian folk music. Today, the accordion is also recognized as a versatile instrument of classical music, a change in perception that has largely been promoted by Martynas Levickis, one of the most internationally sought-after musicians in his field. With its lightness and melancholy, Astor Piazzolla’s music has fascinated the young accordionist from an early age, and so it goes without saying that he is dedicating himself to this exceptional composer in his anniversary year. Together with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra he recorded "Aconcagua" live in concert. For conductor Modestas Pitrenas, Piazzolla's concerto - named posthumously after the highest mountain in the Americas - "conveys the climb to the roof of the earth in all its facets and symbolism: freedom, longing, loneliness, pain, transfiguration, peace." Levickis has a long and close collaboration with the chamber orchestra "Mikroórkestra". Together they present their interpretation of "Las Cuatro Estaciones Portenas," Piazzolla's timeless masterpieces of many styles that capture in music the four seasons in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires.

When the first bars of Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony reached the recording equipment in March of 2018, it wasn’t merely the musicians’ “daily grind” but rather the birth of an ensemble: the chamber orchestra Klangkollektiv Wien. The mission of the Klangkollektiv Wien is to perform the music of the Viennese Classical era with care and love, beyond more routine. This is why we - musicians from all of Vienna’s orchestras - came together for the first time. This music, which was at the onset of the development of the modern orchestra - with which we handle a diverse program of works from all different eras every day - becomes ever more an oasis of tranquility through its clear form and inner beauty, the epicenter of our lives as musicians. Our goal is to give these works the attention they deserve, to communicate their message to listeners. This first document of our common passion came about in collaboration with the conductor Remy Ballot and the record label Gramola, who were involved in this project’s development from the very beginning.

With 22 symphonies, 17 string quartets, 9 concertos, and 7 operas, the composer Mieczyslaw Weinberg left behind an extensive oeuvre. Musically, one can hear the composer's close friendship with Dmitri Shostakovich, although Weinberg's music is more lyrical and romantic in nature. Nevertheless, the composer was long forgotten and his music has only been rediscovered in the last ten years. Gidon Kremer has dedicated himself to the rediscovery and cultivation of Weinberg's music.

Carolina Eyck is one of the most talented theremin players in the world and, at the same time, a YouTube phenomenon. At the age of 7, Carolina learned to play the only instrument in the world that is played without touching it and has built up quite a reputation in the scene. She presents interpretations of well-known classics and original compositions from classical to pop music on this very unusual instrument and composes an exciting mix of ambient, electronica and neo-classical music.

There is hardly a better way to approach Ludwig van Beethoven than through his piano concertos. Beethoven’s own instrument was the piano, and in his improvisations – which made him the darling of the Viennese salons – he merged virtuosity and unbridled expression. The piano concertos give a clear idea of these performances. At the same time, they are prime examples of Beethoven’s ability to create large orchestral works with seemingly endless arcs of tension. One of the most revered artists of our time, Mitsuko Uchida is known as a peerless interpreter of the works of Mozart, Schubert, R. Schumann and Beethoven, as well for being a devotee of the piano music of Alban Berg, Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, and György Kurtág.

With Constellation Machine, the young composer and musician Damian Marhulets releases an album that combines Marhulets' compositions and electronics, the ethereal and warm voice of the Danish vocalist Line Bøgh, the sound of the Nouvelle Philharmonie ensemble and the artwork of Christian Gundtoft. Bøgh' hauntingly beautiful voice marks the center of this musical journey to and through the mystical Constellation Machine, covered in an atmospheric layer of electronic soundscapes, piano, cello and violin, forming a unique musical experience. With its 13 tracks, the album appears like an enticing little creature, drawing the listener into the enchanting world, guiding him through it, describing individual places and making it almost impossible to escape the charm of this spiritual journey. Constellation Machine is an album of classically-influenced Nordic chamber pop that forms a response and commentary to the album "Atlas of Imaginary Places" by Marhulets' wife, Marina Baranova.

All For The King' was formed in 2016 by Erik Tilling and Ricard Hulteke who found each other by way of forums and discussions on Facebook where they expressed similar views on issues regarding God, the Bible, faith, the church and Christianity in general. They spoke about this and decided to meet and it was during this meeting that Erik presented some musical ideas to Ricard, who's jaw dropped when he heard the riffs that Erik had created. Ricard added melody and they decided on lyrics and recorded the three first songs; Rules of love, The old man and Never back down. After that Erik and Ricard contacted bass virtuoso extraordinaire Johan Tjernstr�m who added the depth and heavy bass that was needed. Olof Gardestrand contributed on the first three songs with open, heavy rhythms but never decided to be in the band. In January of 2017, heavy rock drummer Richard Tonyson took over the drum throne. This is the group's second album.

Johnny Mbizo Dyani (bassist/composer) was born in East London, South Africa November 30, 1945 to grow up to be one of the most internationally acknowledged musicians. Since his arrival in England in 1965 as a member of South African jazz group called The Blue Notes Dyani had chosen Scandinavia as his home base and had built an active career until a rare disease shortened his life all too soon. He died in Berlin, Germany in 1986. This album recorded in the summer of 1978 with the powerful front line-up of Don Cherry and Dudu Pukwana. The album was dedicated to the martyred South African activist against apartheid Steve Biko (1946-1977) with whom Dyani shared a cultural and linguistic heritage of Xhosa. “Dyani wrote all of the material for this record and it proves to be a vital factor in the success of the date. Both Cherry and Pukwana react favourably, while bringing their own personalities strongly to bear... this fine record can be recommended without reservation.” (Barry McRae, Jazz Journal International July 1979) “...there are possibly a handful of albums every year which are worth living with. This is one of them.” (Brian Case, Melody Maker June 1979) 180g Audiophile Vinyl

Danish composer, pianist and producer Asger Baden has made a name for himself as a film and TV series composer with his atmospheric music featured in world-acclaimed productions such as “Breaking Bad” and “The Wolfpack”. After having worked on several collaborative projects and composing with the bands “The Crooked Spoke” and “Cours Lapin”, Baden now releases his debut album of solo material, “If the music stops, they’ll eat him up” via Berlin-based label Neue Meister. It invokes through its nine tracks a sense of mysterious and highly visual storytelling. As is expected of a composer who has worked with cinema extensively, the music unfolds much like a motion picture, conjuring images that are rich and textured. It’s as if Baden was painting a wide and vast musical room where the listener is invited to explore its every nook and cranny, from soft percussive footsteps in the background, to the whispering rumbles of synthesizers just in front or the frail conversation of strings happening to the side. There’s an overwhelming sense of openness and atmosphere to every sound, with a churchy echo delineating the space that surrounds them. There’s definitely a lot of space for fantasy within “If the music stops, they’ll eat him up”, and much is left to the imagination of the listener. The album’s title in itself begs a frightening question – “who’ll eat who up?”. The accompanying cover art imagery, by Danish illustrator John Kenn Mortensen, with depictions of creatures that – depending on the beholder – might be viewed as friendly or menacing, only amplifies the sense of reverie. Like all good pieces of art, it incites more questions than formulates answers.

Avant-garde British composer and multi-disciplinary artist Klein presents her first PENTATONE album Harmattan, described by Fred Moten as "a soundtrack of epic revolt against beginnings and ends", which expands our notions of what classical music means today. Harmattan is a personal journey from childhood to now, titled after the West African season. Starting with jazz-inspired piano improvisations, the album gradually gains in ambient breadth, transforming classical musical inspirations into Klein's unique sound universe. Based in South London, Klein's work has been described as "grainy pop collages" (FACT) utilizing elements like manipulated audio samples, R&B inspired vocals, metallic drones, and pitch shifting effects.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957) was a genius. Naturally he was most widely known and rewarded as one of the founding composers of Hollywood film music, but he is not a particularly well-known composer in the classical music world. His three string quartets are surely masterpieces and can be seen as modern tone poems imbued with beautiful melancholy and Viennese charm. A child prodigy, Korngold wrote some of the most heart-wrenching melodies, which are sure to leave any listener longing for more. His String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26 (1933) was written just before Korngold moved to Hollywood and is full of musical imagery of Vienna, with gestures towards the waltzes of Johan Strauss II as well as the intricate lyricism of Richard Strauss. A fierce anti-serialist, Korngold was determined that it was still possible to stretch the boundaries of tonality without adapting to the 12-tone technique. The String Quartet No. 3, Op. 34 (1945) is full of themes that he used in his film scores and was written when Korngold was suffering from deep depression. The quartet is much darker. Why did we choose to tackle Korngold’s music for this unique project of a direct-to-disc recording on vinyl? The music resonates deeply with us, as it represents the epitome of late romanticism and lyrical expression. We all have a profound love for romantic music and after listening to some recordings of his quartets we knew instantly these were the perfect fit for us. It was definitely a challenge to understand the idiom in Korngold’s writing. Our individual personalities as well as the Alma sound is clearly audible.

One of Germany's most prominent pianists, Alexander Krichel from Hamburg, has brought together a couple of heavyweights for his first album with Berlin Classics. He combines the "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Modest Mussorgsky, a central work of the piano literature, with a rarely heard gem by the Romanian composer George Enescu. Enescu's Second Piano Suite enhances the formal language of the Baroque with Romantic and Impressionist timbres, and entrances the listener with a rich palette of tone colors. To round off the program, Alexander Krichel plays another work by a composer from Russia's "mighty handful", the Nocturne from the Petite Suite by Alexander Borodin. There's no denying it: born in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, Krichel feels himself strongly drawn to the Russian repertoire. He studied with two of the greatest Russian pianists of modern times. "I've long had Modest Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' in my repertoire, but now, this piano suite is exactly right with it's strong sense of dedication," says Krichel. "It would be hard to find another piano cycle that has such variety and places such comprehensive demands. Mussorgsky captures a whole cosmos in his 'Pictures'. That links him with George Enescu, who in writing his Second Suite actually composed a tribute as well. ECHO Klassik prizewinner Alexander Krichel also made his presence felt on the music scene with unusual activities during the long Corona lockdown. In May 2020, he initiated the first drive-in concert, which was broadcast by WDR. Soon after that, his audience was following him on a video diary from a Hong Kong hotel suite, in which he had to observe a 14-day period of quarantine before a concert. All the greater, then, the relief felt by Alexander Krichel that like other artists, he can again communicate live with his audience.

Leave your thoughts here is Mr Mibbler's third album following The Long Journey released in January 2021. Mr Mibbler is musicians and producers Thom Hell, J�rn Raknes and Vidar Ersfjord, and this time they have invited an incredible number of first-class Norwegian musicians to play around in their musical world. The guest musicians have been the starting point for the tracks and Mr Mibbler has built the songs around their contributions. Among the guest artists we find very exciting names such as Knut Reiersrud, Lindstr�m, Andreas Ulvo, Mathias Eick, Jan Bang, Bj�rn Klakegg, J�rgen Munkeby, Sigmund Groven and Nils Petter Molv�r, all experienced and acclaimed within their genres in Norway and internationally. This makes Leave your thoughts here a musical journey of different moods, exciting instrumentation and a wonderful mix of genres. You will hear folk, jazz, ambient and electronica performed by the very best musicians in Norway.

Sir Charles Mackerras’s accounts of Symphonies Nos. 8 and 9 are torrentially vivid, as performed by the superb Prague Symphony Orchestra under his baton.

Caprice presents the luxurious double vinyl re-release of Jazz Furniture's classic debut album from 1994. Jazz Furniture was the name of a jazz group that spoke for themselves. They did this by, among other means, winning the 1994 Jazz i Sverige (Jazz in Sweden) award, which included a recording on Caprice Records. Jazz Furniture included: Magnus Broo, trumpet; Per ”Texas” Johansson and Fredrik Ljungkvist, saxophones; Esbjörn Svensson, piano; Dan Berglund bass; and Magnus Öström drums. Originating with the ambitious project, ”Swedish Jazz Future,” the group took the playful name, Jazz Furniture. The cover art shows what it is all about – Jazz Furniture crushes the old jazz furnishings, with great respect and finesse. With roots in the 1950s and 1960s, they set their very personal stamp on the music through their expressive playing style – reminiscent of the feeling one finds in rock music. Using rock’s terminology, it can be said that Jazz Furniture played a kind of ”trash jazz.”

A journey into the heart of the Danish soul. Kim Larsen (1945-2018)-the much-loved Danish rock musician and multifaceted artist-captures in music and words the Danish soul. With his 500 recorded songs and 40 albums he is known by all Danes of all ages. Guitarist, and head of guitar department at The Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen, Jesper Sivebæk, had 2 heroes in his youth: Andrés Segovia and Kim Larsen and they have followed him ever since. For more than 10 years Jesper Sivebæk has worked on the pieces on this album. With his great experience he uses the possibilities of the guitar to the utmost, and follows the classical tradition of making instrumental versions of folk songs as in Miguel Llobets arrangements of Catalan folksongs, Benjamin Brittens English and Chinese folksongs arrangements, and Bela Bartoks Hungarian folk songs. Sivebæk is true both to the beauty and the simplicity of Kim Larsens songs, and to his instrument the classical Spanish guitar. In these arrangements classical guitar players around the globe now have 12 new pieces to discover and put on their concert programs.

Listening to this album takes you back to the atmosphere and sound of Jazzhus Montmartre on a random night in the 1960s, engulfing you in Dexter Gordons enormous aura. Dexters arrival in Copenhagen had a tremendous impact that left a lasting impression on the Danish jazz scene. He was handsome and well-dressed. His playing was superb, with a giant sound; his introductions and showmanship were unique and captivating. In addition, Dexter felt the Danish mentality was well-suited for playing and enjoying jazz. It was always there, Alex Riel remembers It wasnt a case of going to work, even though we played every, single night in June, July and August during the summer of 1964. Dexter and Tete were there solely for the music, and so were Niels-Henning and I. It is so obvious when I hear the music today. Dexter loved being in Montmartre. He often stayed and jammed with the night shift when it took over, playing on till early morning And Dexter ended up owning Copenhagen!

After all is said and done, after 30 years, after a pandemic which shattered the world, after thousands of kilometers travelled and many more thousands of notes played and sung, what remains ? A deep love and respect for great music and the greatness in music, a deep love for the humanity that is brought to life by it, a deep appreciation for the gift of friendship and for the power and resonance that brought and kept us together all these years, and for that curiosity and passion, that meticulous quest to unveil the deepest mysteries of music, that drives us always onwards. Finally, we’ve given it a name: Afterallogy

Coming under the form of a beautiful antique pink and dark green 3-shutters digipack and two-LPs Gatefold, 'Two Roses' is by Avishai's words "a once in a lifetime project". Associating his core trio (Mark Guiliana, Elchin Shirinov) with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Avishai Cohen offers a very cinematic project between Jazz, Mediterranean Folklore and Classical music, reexploring a part of his musical journey. Not only proposing new orchestrations of his most successful works, 'Two Roses' is also strongly supported by 'When I'm Falling', an original composition showing how far the sound of Avishai Cohen has developed. The vinyl edition features 2 exclusive tracks in addition to the 12 songs already listed on the digital and CD editions; including a Symphonic version of Seven Seas which is one of Avishai's most beloved compositions.