'III - Candles & Beginnings' is a tapestry of emotions - each song a world of its own, touching on childhood memories, vivid life experiences, and even a nod to one of the group's most beloved places on Earth - The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge, a historic spot nestled in the North York Moors and one of the most remote pubs you will ever find. Visually, the cover artwork by Pete Voutilainen, layout and watercolors by Mikko Pankasalo plus calligraphy by Johanna Kurkela provide wonderful illustrations perfectly capturing Auri's unique musical visions. With guest musicians like Frank Van Essen (strings), Jonas Pap (cello), Juho Kanervo (basses), and the incredible drumming and percussion courtesy of Nightwish's Kai Hahto, Auri III - Candles & Beginnings is as lush as it is atmospheric and provides astonishing dynamics.

Centered around the central work of this recording, the Peace Concerto for soprano and organ by the Dutch composer Daan Manneke (*1939), soprano Gudrun Sidonie Otto and cathedral organist Andreas Liebig have compiled an extremely diverse and particularly expressive program, including organ and vocal works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sofia Gubaidulina, Max Reger, and Julius Reubke. Manneke's Peace Concerto is part of his 2019 Basel Psalms, a commissioned composition for the millennium celebrations of the venerable Basel Minster.

For the fifth instalment of the critically acclaimed Schubert+ series, Can Cakmur juxtaposes the Viennese composer with his illustrious elder Ludwig van Beethoven, for the first time in this series.

Telemann's Fantasias represent the most important current discovery in the gamba repertoire and are destined to become one of the cornerstones of the repertoire. The compositions, full of musical references to many different styles, are a compendium of how Italian and French influences permeated the purely German language to create a specific style, but it is also an example of visionary creativity, as Telemann anticipates many structural elements that define what will become the galant or pre-classical style. Moreover, using the genre Fantasia, Telemann shows us a portrait full of audacity, freshness and compositional freedom hitherto unknown.

An ampersand intimately and magically joins things together. “&” (Ampersand) is also the name of a beautiful new Bastille project from Dan Smith, a collection of story songs that intertwine the lives and wide worlds of startling women and men.

Two of Us is the second studio album by American singer Robert Goulet, released in August 1962 by Columbia Records. It was produced by Jim Foglesong. The album debuted on the Billboard Top LPs chart in the issue dated September 1, 1962, and remained on the chart for 55 weeks, peaking at number 20. It debuted on the Cashbox albums chart in the issue dated August 25, 1962, and remained on the chart for a total of 38 weeks, peaking at number 17.

Oscar and two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop launched his illustrious career with his debut smash album Careless in 1976. Now, he’s closing the chapter on 50 remarkable years in the music industry with his 20th and final album THIMK,out August 15 - a lifetime of stories captured in one unforgettable album. THIMK also features a stunning lineup of Bishop’s closest friends and legendary collaborators, including Art Garfunkel, Jimmy Webb, Graham Nash, Dave Grusin, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, David Pack, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America, David Benoit, Marilyn Martin, among many other extraordinary talents.

At the risk of repeating myself, if you’re going to cover someone else’s song, then you need to bring something new to the table. Those who opt for faithful renditions of beloved songs are either deluded into thinking that they can improve on something already iconic, or they are merely riding the original artist’s coattails. Neither is a good look!

Nicola Vicentino was renowned in his day as a music theorist and inventor of the microtonal archicembalo keyboard instrument, but it is the striking harmonic sophistication of the madrigals that keep his name alive today. These world premiere recordings of madrigals from the Fifth Book of 1572 are interspersed with instrumental pieces that explore comparable chromatic universes, including Giovanni Maria Trabaci’s remarkable Toccata e recercar cromatico, and the first instrumental canzona ever published: Canzon la Bella.

The Church Studio In Session series is an exclusive and immersive recording and listening experience where guests are provided with individual headphones delivering a personalized mix of vocals and multi-track instrumentation. Acclaimed composer, guitarist, and sonic visionary Chris Combs kicked off this series, bringing together a handpicked ensemble of dynamic players for the session, including Hank Early of Turnpike Troubadours, Dan Oestreicher of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, along with Tulsa singers/MCs, Tea Rush, and 1st Verse. The sound is urgent and expansive, capturing the raw energy, experimentation, and creative alchemy of live collaboration. The genre-defying journey blends jazz, soul, and ambient textures, while delivering a deep, groove-heavy soundscape for the listener.

Interior Live Oak draws from everything Cass has created over two decades of experimentation to cut through with a direct and clarifying light. Throughout, his attitude is hopeful, which may sound odd for someone who often sings about the more extreme aspects of modern life. Interior Live Oak, however, is the resolve of someone who has lived those extremes.

David Wilcox has always been the kind of songwriter who quietly devastates you—never flashy, never loud, just one cleanly delivered line that lands exactly where you live. Now, with The Way I Tell the Story (out August 15), the veteran folk artist leans into warmth and wisdom that has been won hard, pulling emotional threads in new and surprisingly luminous ways.

Live at the Warfield is a six-CD live album by the Jerry Garcia Band. It contains recordings of three complete concerts performed on February 28, March 1, and March 2, 1991, at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco. It is scheduled to be released on August 15, 2025.

For over two decades, the Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet has forged a distinctive path through the world of jazz—fusing the deep-rooted traditions of Afro-Peruvian music with the improvisational language of modern jazz. Now, the Lima/New York based ensemble returns with a landmark album that not only celebrates the group’s 20th anniversary but reaffirms their role as musical storytellers, culture bearers, and fearless innovators.

When a band has been consistently releasing successful albums since 2000, there are bound to be a few occasions for anniversaries over time.