The virtuoso, sometimes eccentric violin music of the Neapolitan-born and English-by-choice Nicola Matteis (ca. 1650 - ca. 1714) is the focus of the recording of the renowned baroque violinist Veronika Skuplik and the lutenist Andreas Arend with FRA BERNARDO. They trace the baroque, virtuoso gesture of the music and transform it into a kind of travelogue from Naples to London to Norfolk.

Recorded live in September 1987, this release features Florentins legendary complete survey of Rachmaninoffs solo piano works. an utterly mindblowing release of the complete Rachmaninoff solo piano music by Italian master pianist Sergio Fiorentino, to whom the piano world owes a huge debt of gratitude for coaxing the master out of retirement and ensuring that his last decade of concerts was recorded. In this set, we find in absolutely stunning sound quality Fiorentinos masterful traversals of Rachmaninoffs solo works, the golden sheen of his sound and refinement of his nuancing as captivating as his passionate and intelligent interpretations. (The Piano Files)

Of all the composers who wrote for the gamba during his times, Johann Gottlieb Graun must have been the most diligent one, even though he was not a virtuoso on this instrument. The twenty-seven works by him that are known to us represent significant contributions to the repertoire of the concerto, cantata, and sonata. All three of the works presented here contain grand solo parts for the viola da gamba that prove to be of the highest virtuosity. Graun evidently was interested in putting a virtuoso to the test.

The Buckinghams recorded five Top 40 singles that all charted in 1967. All five of those tunes are included in this collection. Their three biggest singles, "Don't You Care," "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," and the number one hit "Kind of a Drag," are pure pop ear candy. Most of the tracks were ably produced by James William Guercio, who would later produce Blood, Sweat & Tears' classic self-titled second album and all of Chicago's earlier albums. Like a lot of '60s groups, the Buckinghams included a song to raise the social conscience of its audience. In this case, the song is "Foreign Policy," an almost unbearable "experimental" tune that includes a snippet of a JFK speech and clocks in at over four minutes! Of course, that's really not very long, but the other ten tracks are all less than three minutes a pop. "Foreign Policy" is truly "kind of a drag." However, the rest of the tracks are tolerable.

A real dig, discovered only recently. Keyboard-dominated, with Mellotron, flute, and English lyrics. Very good studio recordings. The Wuppertal group - basically a successor band of Cannabis India - existed only from 1974 until 1976. Back then in 1974 they recorded some songs for an LP but did not release it. Which was a shame as it would have been a real asset e. g. on the Brain label. Only in 2014, a man from Berlin came up against it almost by chance and released it as an LP on his Korusuro label. It was received very well by the listeners and was much praised. And now finally the CD edition, drawn from the master tapes. The 32-page booklet contains a detailed band history in German and English, photographs, lyrics, etc.

Complex re-release of the most remarkable and worldwide sought afterSeries The Dark Side Of The Moog by German electronic pioneers Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook (aka Peter Kuhlmann) in three slip lid boxsets, each with 5 CDs, incl. bonus material and new linernotes. The first box contains Vol. 1 to Vol. 4 and the Best Of-Album The Evolution Of The Dark Side Of The Moog. Their relationship between Klaus and Pete and the exchange of ideas was unorthodox from the beginning of their co-operation, in that they rarely met personally. The most remarkable contacts they had were outside of their studios, for instance their concert of April 1999 at the Jazz Festival in Hamburg, which was released as an edited version on 'Dark Side Of The Moog, Vol.8' (will be released in the second Boxset) - the interplay and chemistry between them is clearly evident, and it becomes even clearer on the un-edited version of the concert (which will be released as bonus CS on the third boxset).

Haydn wrote the six quartets of Opp 54 and 55 in 1788, by now a celebrated composer across Europe and still opera Kapellmeister at Esterházy. These period instrument players, whose very name declares their affinity for Haydn, excel in the latest in their Hyperion series. Ever spry in fast movements, faultless in dexterity and intonation, they find a special warmth of feeling in the slower moments: the songful Adagio Cantabile of Op 55 No 1, the puzzling, melancholy Andante of Op 55 No 2, the dark, hymn-like first bars of Op 54 No 2’s Adagio, out of which the violin soars in almost improvised, bluesy reverie. Too many pleasures to enumerate. Try for yourself.

The third studio long-player from the Grammy Award-winning hard rockers led by powerhouse vocalist Lzzy Hale, Into the Wild Life doubles down on the more radio-friendly elements that were introduced on 2012's Strange Case Of…, but it also plays fast and loose with the formula, pouring as many different stylistic elements as it can into each of its 12 (15 if you pick up the deluxe version) cuts. As per usual, Hale's tornadic vocals lead the charge, and she lays down some of her best work to date on stand-out cuts like "I Am the Fire," "Gonna Get Mine," the heartfelt ballad "Dear Daughter," and the blistering, aptly named "Mayhem," the latter of which eschews some of the more traditional hard rock Halestorm tropes (of which there are many) in favor of a nervy blast of pure punk-metal malevolence.