Spirited, adventurous, virtuosic - a must have!
351787
This album is likely to make you catch your breath on first hearing. Here is a harpsichord player in full virtuosic flight, just as we imagine Handel to have been (who was after all one of the great performers of his day and prevailed in a contest with Domenico Scarlatti). Just to mention as a highlight his very fast tempo for most of the Blacksmith Variations, which (for the first time for me) at last make perfect sense and explain their enduring popularity. Kipnis is not one of those finicky, small beer artists who cling to paper rules of style - and are all afraid of letting go, in case of their authenticity moguls disapprove. Kipnis lets go, no better illustration can be found than the hair-rising, big-volume Preludes, which under the artist's hand are a spectacle of grandeur, instead of the miaowing we are too often fobbed off with.
In short, Kipnis succeeds in convincing me that Handel was a man of great and powerful imagination; and I suspect that irascible composer would have been the first to kick the authenticity lobby down the staircase with the injunction: Come back when you've learnt what music making is all about!
(I'll add in bracket for those who are interested that authentic instruments are undoubtedly required for Baroque music, and this music would lose half its effectiveness on a piano. But authentic performance practice is a fallacy, a logical self-contradiction. I won't misuse this space for a demonstration, but simply ask yourself if you think it is truly possible for a musician of today to share (in their heart!) the ideas of Handel's time about religion, government, the stratification of society, sex, food, dress, entertainment etc. if in your heart and mind you cannot do this, then the self-contradiction glares you in the face).
Anyway, back to the album: A top recommendation. You will hardly find better Handel playing on the harpsichord than this.
4937370
I had the great pleasure to listen your album Spellbinder. It is mysterious, explorative and otherworldly. There is a back and forth of cosmic energy and earth energy. There is a push to get beyond the boundaries and a mission to bring the energy back here. When listening to it I feel like a cool kid that gets to go on an expedition of the great unknown beyond this earth. There is a level of mastery, sophistication with the musicians in this collection of music. A beautiful choreography of sounds the way everyone plays off each other in the landscape of each song with a special attention to percussion. This is heard throughout the album and is much appreciated. The percussion adds a force that is often missing. Perhaps its your love and dedication to the drums that comes through. It does something to the composition and the life of each song. There is energy in this album and I am inspired with each listen. This album has me spellbound!
4202452
"Hooked on Classics" is a marvellous compilation of centuries-old musical creations which flood into the modern musical era by creative percussion and superb symphonic performance. Leader Jonathan Carney adds his distinctive touch of class as he directs the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in performing 10 medleys of a variety of composers, including Tchaikovsky, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, Ravel and more. Their names alone make up a fun trivia contest!
  I first heard this CD while attending a remarkable "Pursuit of Excellence" seminar which utilized the upbeat symphonic soundtracks to get all attendees into their chairs as the coffee-break ended and the seminar was about to resume. We were all pumped as we sat to learn important content about how to live a better life. How fitting was that! Many of us sought the CD at  in-store retailers who thankfully referred us to Amazon.com so we could fulfill our musical wishes.
  My CD collection of Classics will grow as I add to it from Amazon's array of "Hooked on Classics" additional versions, easily found on their website. And delivered quickly, too! Even my BOSE CD-player is smiling!  JR
1786207
Such a fun recording!  Sean Kennedy's composition is filled with exciting moments, driving rhythms, and sweeping melodies.  The performance by the orchestra is stellar as well.  Highly recommended!
1619515
Just listen it! If you want to understand the meaning of "virtuoso".
Highly recomended.
3153566
No question that this is quite a rare experience, and the fact that it was well recorded is an amazing bonus! Loud and clear, music with emotion, I feel as though I am sitting on the same ground as these artists. It is an amazing piece of work, and will create a greater appreciation for a culture so radically different than our modern society. If you are looking for an experience of relaxation, understanding, and unique entertainment, this CD will no doubt take you on that journey and beyond.
4911111
Ranarim create an atmosphere of fun & frolick, of freedom & exploration, of creativity & beauty ... a step back into childhood, when the imagination was alive and active. The music itself is pure and distinct and very very Swedish: along with the guitar and mandolin, the traditional "nykelharpa", receives highest honors. It is also called the "keyed violin" which provides the "other-worldy" charm to this very excellent and purely delightful music. Add to this, the Swedish umlauts and wonderful language and pronunciations of words by the female vocalists: it is truly world-class traditional music comparable and a rival to the more world reknown and highly acclaimed Celtic style. Without the liner notes ... I would be lost just in the lovely sounds of the vocalists and wonderful rhythms and musical stylizations. Very thoughtfully, the liner notes give a brief synopsis of each songs contents; although, I would rather have the words provided *both* in Swedish and with an English translation, then I could follow along and perhaps learn a word or phrase, plus know what I am saying! Who wouldn't want to know more about "Proud Ingrid's" beloved Loman who went to sea, and while he was away, her brother schemes to marry her to the rich Tor, for whom she has no affection, I wonder, what is the ending? I would love to read the verse, about the medieval ballad, in which it is the "fair maiden" who saves her brother --who had been kidnapped by the Black Count and she even defeats 5,000 men!!! Most interesting for me is the song which is described as "early morning music": it is a medley, the last of which includes a rhyme containing the 22 most popular names for a goat. (As a child I had a fascination for goats so I would love to hear the Swedish names & then read them translated to English). This is truly a remarkable folk music collection that is highly enjoyable and an absolute treasure. This CD is an  adventure worth exploring ... I also highly recommend the Northside (Nordic) sampler CDs volumes 1 and 2. They were my introduction to the pleasures of "Nordic music". Erika Borsos (erikab93)
2967764
With music from varied performances in the Virtual World, this compilation of songs by Gregory Hall will enhance the music within your life - home/office/automobile.
Classical feel, with modern aires, and refrains that repeat, awaiting you to listen again and again you will soon be yearning to begin the CD again....
From California, to Maine, with myriad experiences along the way, Greg's music lingers within the listener, creating a balance.... a place for breathing, for sighing, for reflection.

Truly an inspired and inspiring artist, Blessed we are with his recording and preserving such moments from his musical last few years.  With this being Volume 1.. I can't wait for the next ones to appear.
Thank you ...
4879643
This CD is a testimony of the greatness of its leader - Dewey Redman. Rarely have I encountered such variety of imagination, such control of the tradition combined with all out explorations. Redman explores sounds, rhythms, structures - and gets perfect backing from the other musicians.
"Boody" is a 12 minute blues, played mostly "straight" - Redman has a huge soul. The tune reminds me of "Turn over Baby" which he recorded some years later (The Struggle Continues) - but "Boody" is much deeper.
"Imani" is a slow piece, played in melodic unison, and producing some far out sound textures.
"Image" is played on the Asiatic-North African musette, but the rhythms here are African. It is great !
There is a beatiful ballad "joie de vivre" and collective improvisation tracks (Sunlanding, Seeds and Deeds...) - all are bold innovations.
This CD is a gem - it is essential to anyone interested in the creative music of the 20th century.
3516743
Five INNOVATIVE Stars! Challenging, imaginative, innovative modernist classical music starring the 4-time Grammy-winning grand diva of classical violin, Anne-Sophie Mutter. "Motivated by the desire to keep on rediscovering the violin", she challenges herself through a program of modernist pieces which she commissioned from living composers and performs with a Mozart-ian sized New York Philharmonic, under musical director Alan Gilbert and featuring maestro MIchael Francis directing one work. In addition, there are 2 violin/bass violin duo pieces which feature Ms Mutter and the rising star of the contrabasso, Slokavian virtuoso Roman Patkol&oacute;. Anne-Sophie has transitioned thru the years from a hot young award-winning rising star, to a certified glittering multiple Grammy-winning virtuoso conquering all of the meaningful multi-period violin pieces in solo, chamber, and orchestral formats; to having works written for her; to an in-demand artist-in-residence for major conductors and orchestras. Now as one company is releasing a 40 CD box set of her great career (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Asm-35-The-Complete-Musician/dp/B004SEXBAK/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Asm 35: The Complete Musician</a>) and a 2 CD "career highlights" summary, she sidesteps talk of retirement and begins commissioning and performing/conducting her own challenging works by some of the leading living modernist composers, performed with great orchestras. A truly incredible career.

Wolfgang Rihm's "Lichtes Spiel: Ein Sommerst&uuml;ck"-(Light Game: A Summer Piece), with the Philharmonic under the baton of Michael Francis with concertmaster Glenn Dicterow, is a single 17-minute movement work that features Mutter's blazing bow work, sometimes double- and triple-stopped, often in the lovely altissimo register of her violin, framed against flowing orchestral backgrounds of suspended notes or staccato splashes that rise and fall in interesting supportive sonic textures. The work alternates between serene and stately, but building to intense power points in and around the 9 minute, 12, and 16 minute points: eschewing recurring themes, but instead giving off snippets of attractive nuanced phrases which tantalizingly flourish and fade along the way, like sunlight plays on a Summer day through breaks in the clouds. The jagged, intense, "Duo Concertante" is  a 5-minute one-movement virtuosic work of wonder by one of Poland's greatest composers, triple Grammy-winning maestro Krzysztof Penderecki, featuring Mutter and Patkol&oacute; setting off arco and pizzicato fireworks over a 10-note motif and lyrical beauty over a 4-note lyrical motif with Mutter multi-stopped or with single string intensity, echoed by the flying fingers and bow of Patkolo. "Dyade" is also by Wolfgang Rihm: a 12-minute musical excursion and exploration of the "relationship" between the instruments and the players. The 7-movement "Time Machines" by Sebastian Currier features Anne-Sophie again with the Philharmonic and really does take 'time exploration' through a wide variety of sonic scenarios and emotions that run from a minute and a half up to 8 minutes in length, such as "Fragmented Time", "Time Delay", and the longest, "Harmonic Time". They go from reflective lyricism to dazzling pyrotechnics, with my favorites being "Overlapping Time", the truly weird "Backwards Time", the drama and urgency of the awesome "Entropic Time", and the frenetic velocity of "Compressed Time". This is challenging modernist 'avant garde-ish' music that is best listened to as separate powerful and beautiful works, which reveal more and more detail and beauty with each listen. A great legacy for future violinists to enjoy. Five CHALLENGING Stars. Highly Recommended. (4 Works: 10 Tracks; Time 63:50)
3204302
Having attended, I was beyond thrilled to find out that this recording would be released on ECM.  True to form, the recording quality is fantastic, and now I have a chance to re-live the palpable excitement of hearing five absolutely top-tier musicians and improvisors at the top of their game in a live performance.  Yes, this technically qualifies as "avant-garde", so is not for the dilettante or faint of heart.  With that being said, this group veers into straight bop, swing, chamber, solo, and so many other modes and moods that you can't help but be blown away by the collective mastery and sheer joy of playing conveyed throughout.  This is "avant garde" at its best: cohesive, intense, and virtuosic without being unnecessarily abstruse ... a complete knock-out!
1619736
CD/DVD combo:

This is quite a soul stirring and extremely atmospheric CD with the main vocals more in the background this time.  The more I listen to this music, the more I feel that this could be a soundtrack for a movie that moves me and makes me feel as though I've been transported to another place and time.  It's like secretly stumbling upon a tribal or primal music celebration deep in the forest.

The new CD/album "Yav" shows Arkona's prowess heading in a very different and musically challenging direction.  Previously, their music had a reliable formula that you could count on:  catchy melodies, driving drum beats, guitar riffs, clear vocals,interspersed choir accompaniment, chanting, whispering and growling in the foreground.  And there was absolutely nothing wrong with the formula, but the new music is a welcome change of pace.  Their previous music was like a hearty satisfying meat and potatoes dish, whereas the new music is more like a buffet, giving the listener many different flavors to experience.  I enjoy all of their music so I can't say that this is better or worse.  It's simply just different.

"Yav" is haunting and beautiful, but it's also technical and cohesive.  This music takes itself seriously from start to finish!  It has layers upon layers of dynamic sound with complex musical arrangements.  There's a lot of emotion and pulse-quickening drumming that flows and ebbs.  There are even new percussive sounds that really add to the overall tone and mood.  Masha's vocals weave in and out of each song in a seamless fashion that is different from all the other music composed thus far.  I believe that her singing has more nuance this time around.  I sense a new level of expertise overall with musical compositions, singing and playing various modern and medieval instruments.

This is definitely a folk metal CD, but not as folksy as their previous CD "Slovo," released in 2011.  "Slovo" was an exceptionally melodic CD that was easy to tap your feet to and hum along with, but it's almost the opposite of "Yav" in that respect.  Instead, there is a lot of intricate harmonizing among all musicians.  I would definitely recommend "Yav" to fans and perhaps new listeners who may not have been able to get into Arkona's previous music.  In my opinion, this is truly a work of art and it was well worth the three year wait!!!  This CD/DVD set came with a booklet with artwork and the full English translations of all the songs.

The DVD is the video companion to the live, 2 CD set, "Decade of Glory."  There are 31 songs on the audio CD, and this DVD includes 22 of those songs plus three bonus clips which are older videos that have been online for years.  The video and audio on this DVD is very good.  I was glad to be able to finally see at least a portion of this amazing 10th anniversary concert in Moscow with choir and string orchestra.  For just a few dollars more, it's a bargain to get this DVD along with the new "Yav" CD !!!
1417676
I am not a French speaker and do not base my appreciation of Gabriel Yacoub on a mental assessment of whatever he may or may not be saying lyrically. My experience of his music is from the standpoint of an artist and musician of more than thirty years, and his achievement as such, in the area of mood and emotion as the combined result of this master musician's efforts in composition, arrangment and performance. Not understanding a language frees one somewhat from being tied down to a particular interpretation, and, in my case, opens me up to a more abstract even mystical experience. This recording represents the artist at an absolute peak of his powers, with the spirited performances of the musicians and vocalists creating a kind of ancient/modern tapestry of dreamlike mystery. Multi-dimensional and profound with repeated listenings revealing more and more, the effect of the whole is indeed inspiring! There's the ancient drone like hum of uillean pipes, strings, acoustic guitars etc.sitting behind the gravelly yet expressive vocals, everything performed with a kind of understated virtuosity, nothing overwhelming the song itself. My favorite tracks are "Si C'tait", a wonderful slow unfolding beauty of vocal, counter-vocals, pizzicato ( and bowed ) ello , "Gris", the post-apocolyptic "You Stay Here" ( the only English language track ), "Trahison", "Pour Une Joie Au Loin" and "Je Vois Venir". Obviously not everyone's cup of tea, this is however a truly exceptional work. A big thank you to Gabriel Yacoub for this brilliant achievement sitting right up there with "Bel" and "Quatre".
2352917
Five INVIGORATING Stars! One of my favorite CDs of all time. Dizzy with an all-star United Nation(s) Orchestra in front of a very appreciative audience at London's Royal Festival Hall. How appreciative? The performance received a ten-minute standing ovation at the end.

 "Tin Tin Deo" brings to mind the seminal conguero Chano Pozo with Dizzy and his orchestra in the 40's (Still available on CD). An incredible performance for the arrangement, solos, and the pure fire of the orchestra. The ominious percussion intro by Manenguito, Airto, and Ignacio Berroa is particularly effective. The alto solo by Paquito D'Rivera is hair-raisingly gorgeous, building and building to a grand crescendo. Danilo Perez doesn't solo but his piano is crucial, driving the solos and the orchestra with explosive, percussive comping.

 This is followed by a wonderful display of clarinet mastery by Paquito on the waltz "Seresta" and one of his best compositions: "Samba for Carmen (McRae)".

Flora Purim, one of the best jazz vocalists, is in fine form on "Tanga", as is James Moody on "Kush". He plays a particularly exciting solo here and on "Night in Tunisia". Also of note are the contributions of two marvelous tandems: trombonists Slide Hamption and Steve Turre (complete with his conch shells), and trumpet stars Arturo Sandoval and Claudio Roditi. This CD is Highly Recommended, but I must say a few solos drift off mike but are audible. I turn up the volume, just to get the experience. Trust me, it's worth the effort. The orchestra is sometimes listed without the "s" on Nations, but not here. My Highest Recommendation. Five SWINGING Stars.

 (Also, the concert can occasionally be seen on the "BET on Jazz" cable channel on it's "Classic Concerts" program. Here, those off-miked solos are clearly audible, so it's worth a look to get the full concert experience (and, of course, to see Flora cut loose vocally)).
4177979
This is a terrific compilation of amazing new songs (many composed specifically for this CD) - performed by a stellar cast of artists. I feel honored to be part of this project - for which I re-envisioned one of my most popular Dickinson settings, "If I..." from my "Four Dickinson Songs," changing it from a soprano and piano piece to baritone, clarinet and piano. I have worked with the wonderful baritone Randall Scarlata for many years, but this was the first time I had worked with the incomparable Anthony McGill, now principal clarinetist of The NY Philharmonic, and it was a thrilling experience.

The songs on this CD run the gamut in mood - from playful to sorrowful to hopeful. All of the artists donated their time and talents - and all proceeds from this album go to amfAR. Please consider buying this for yourself or as a gift. You won't be disappointed!
2045824
I had eagerly awaited this album's release for nearly a year since I first learned about what Donna was up to.  As much as I appreciate her bright, infectious pop and her alternatively ambient soundscapes, this album honestly takes my breath away.  Donna's originals and interpretations of others are all remarkably done in a way that not only compliments her versatility but also is extremely well-suited to her voice.  The trios amazing array of shifting, morphing, and overlapping textures provide a fascinating kaleidoscope of sound, and the way Donna's voice floats and weaves over, under, and through it all is masterful, engaging, and enchanting.  What she and Mr. Torn have produced is an album that is soft and subtle, yet demands undistracted listening.  This aural "collection of paintings"  is a Must Have!
766200
Bel Canto is a native Norwegian group that's hard to categorize, and that's an understatement. I could easily praise this band with every honorable word in the dictionary but you'd still be left feeling clueless because they've got such a unique sound that's entirely their own. At times you'll think the lyrics are made up of their own creative tongue set to the passion of the moment, kind of like Dead Can Dance and Ekova's strangely affective method, but they're mostly sung in English or other foreign languages. The music in itself leaves so much open to the imagination and the vocals of Anneli Drecker never cease to amaze me. She's got a spellbinding voice that fits in with the dreamy, haunting, whimsical sounds that Nils Johansen concocts perfectly. The musicianship is impeccable and every cord strung oozes magic and mystery. I just love how they use such a varied assortment of instruments, especially their trademark bouzouki, mandolin and trumpet. This group has definitely evolved through the years, always good at what they're doing, but 'Birds Of Passage', their second and last release with founding member Geir Jenssen, proves to be my favorite - just behind their masterful 'Shimmering Warm and Bright', of course. I haven't heard their most recent 'Dorothy's Victory' yet but I'm hoping to buy that with Anneli's solo album, 'Tundra', later this year because I'm nutso over Bel Canto and wanna acquire everything brought out by them!