Trumpeter Paolo Fresu is ubiquitous on both the Italian and international jazz scenes. Unlike many of his countrymen, Fresu doesn't dabble; he's a fully committed jazzer, so it's not a surprise that this set is in the contemporary creative jazz vein. But to call it stodgy or old fashioned would be to miss the point; this is some of the most forward-looking ensemble composing and playing that the Italians have come up with – and it beats the hell out of a lot of stuff on this side of the Atlantic, and even gives the Dutch semi-big bands a run for their money. Fresu's front line consists of himself, Gianluigi Trovesi on bass clarinet and alto, Tino Tracanna on soprano and tenor, Roberto Cipelli on piano, Attilo Zanchi on bass, and Ettore Firoavanti on skins.

Colonna sonora del film omonimo di Stefano Landini. 'Registrare la musica per 7/8 è stata per me una sfida. La sfida dei tempi di realizzazione (molto stretti durante la rovente estate del 2006 con i suoi mille concerti e viaggi) ma soprattutto la sfida del linguaggio. 7/8 è una storia ambientata nel fascismo della seconda guerra quando il jazz muoveva in Italia i primi passi tra i suoni di Ellington nascosti nei titoli dei brani criptati dal regime e le canzonette in voga. La sfida è stata quella di avere registrato una colonna sonora non ambientata in quegli anni ma nel decennio successivo ed ispirata al migliore Miles Davis. Spero abbia funzionato e spero di non avere stravolto lo spirito ed il senso storico del film.

Perhaps the first example of "dragon rock" – a style perfected by bands like Iron Maiden and Dio in the early to mid-'80s – was Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, a rather pretentious 1975 collection from the guitarist's first post-Deep Purple project…

For years the undisputed Rossini tenor par excellence, Juan Diego Flórez at last makes his debut in the hugely demanding role of Arnold and 'masters his part with seemingly effortless perfection' (Die Presse). Graham Vick's 2013 production gives the opera uncut in its original French version, complete with the often omitted ballet music. The William Tell legend of patriotic and political intrigue in 14th-century Switerland is interpreted by Vick as a timeless class conflict with dramatic and unforgettable images. A 'perfect cast' is conducted with 'verve and intensity' (Opera Today)

Kerson Leong recently participated in the award-winning Tribute to Ysaÿe (FUG758). Here is his first solo recital for Alpha. The young Canadian violinist’s career began at the age of thirteen when he won the First Prize of the Junior division of the Menuhin Competition in Oslo in 2010. In 2018 he was named artist-in-residence with the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. An associate musician at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, under the mentorship of Augustin Dumay, he has already performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Verbier Festival and Wigmore Hall. The Quebec newspaper Le Devoir, which has followed him since the start of his career, speaks of ‘the purity of intonation, the brilliance of the high notes, the power of the sound… Kerson Leong has remained as brilliant as ever, but he has added a new patina and, deep down inside himself, a new class.’

While it's true that trumpeter and composer Paolo Fresu works in a variety of settings from trio to sextet, it is arguable that his quintets present him with the finest opportunities for creative expression.
This date, a covers-only collection of ballads by Ellington and Strayhorn, Mingus, Monk, Johnny Mercer, etc., has all the hallmarks of a classic Fresu set. For starters, the band is amazing: Tino Tracanna on tenor, Roberto Cipelli on piano, Attilio Zanchi on bass, and Ettore Fioravanti on drums offer Fresu a wide palette for expressing the many shades and textures of the jazz ballad.

KORPIKLAANI was founded somewhere deep in the primeval northern forests in 2003. Ten celebrated studio albums, numerous world tours and hundreds of millions of digital streams alongside multiple other releases, have established KORPIKLAANI’s status as one of the leaders of innovative heavy music. For their diehard legion of fans, they are known as Folk Metal Superstars. Here and now, KORPIKLAANI’s fearless journey continues on – and this time, the journey is powered by rather serious subject matter. Their eleventh full-length studio record "Jylhä" (which has no direct translation but can be described as majestic, or wild and rugged in a beautiful way) brings all the well-known and essential ingredients to the table: heavy-duty guitar riffing, rhythmic folk melodies and more.

Bob Smith - The Visit (1970) {Virgo CD1518 rel 1996}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 379 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 152 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 36 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1970, 1996 Kent / Virgo Records | CD1518
Rock / Psychedelic Rock

Elaborate reissue of an early 70s American psychedelic classic, originally issued on the Kent label as a deluxe gatefold double album. From the LA area, this mixes sprawling guitar, violin & some keyboard-weirdness with a patch of vague Buckley/Beefheart/Fankhauser reference points on to a base of melodic psych-rock extensions. With a lyrical vantage point not far from the heightened visionary nonsense of a Damon-like character, assumably delivered by Mr. Bob Smith (there is no longer any doubt that he really is "Bob Smith"), this delivers a final touch of addled magic.

The debut album from Black Country, New Road - the latest stars from the burgeoning and famed Brixton Windmill scene, which also fostered the rise of contemporaries, black midi, Squid, Fat White Family and Shame.

Tony Scott & Bill Evans - A Day In New York (1957) {2CD Set, Fresh Sound FSR-CD 333 rel 2003}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 770 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 312 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 61 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1957, 2003 Fresh Sound Records } FSR-CD 333
Jazz / Cool / Bop / Modal Music / Piano / Clarinet

Tony Scott led several small groups of various sizes during the month of November 1957, resulting in three separate LPs being issued by Seeco, Carlton, and Perfect without duplicating any of the 24 tracks. This Fresh Sound two-CD set collects everything recorded during these sessions. Scott's core group features pianist Bill Evans (not long after he was discharged from military service), either Milt Hinton or Henry Grimes on bass, and drummer Paul Motian. In addition to his powerful clarinet, Scott plays a potent baritone sax on six selections.

Joey Tempest is the third solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on October 21, 2002. Three songs were co-written by Europe keyboardist Mic Michaeli.

It isn’t fictive folk music, it isn’t jazz, it isn’t classical, it isn’t traditional or world music – it’s simply Sardinian music from Sardinian musicians. The idea emerged through the work of the film director Gianfranco Cabbido, who resides in Rome. While doing research some eight years ago in preparation for his film Bakunin’s Children, he was surprised by his discovery of an abundance of film material covering life in Sardinia from the 1930’s to the 50’s. The film was a reflection of what was even for him, as a native Sardinian, an almost forgotten world. He lovingly restored the material, and soon had developed the idea of putting the material together as a sort of documentary. And what made more sense than to have musicians accompany this visual record live on stage?

Fresh Sound presents 17 solid selections retrieved from Lionel Hampton's brief involvement with the Jazztone label. Recorded in New York City during the summer of 1956, this mixture of standards, ballads, and original work represents mainstream jazz at its warmest, friendliest, and most accessible. Hamp's front line consisted of trumpeter Ray Copeland, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, and tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson; the rhythm people were pianist Oscar Dennard, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and drummer Gus Johnson. Hamp played vibraphone on all but two of the tracks; he is heard at the piano on "Look! Four Hands" and does marvelous things with a marimba on Gerry Mulligan's "Line for Lyons." The Jazztone record label existed between the years 1955 and 1957.

"Funky Notes from the West Coast" collects some of the finest soul-jazz, funk and soul released by Capitol/EMI. One of the Blue Note's best-selling reissues, "Funky Notes" includes tracks like "She's My Summer Breeze" by the Reflections, Maze's "While I'm Alone," A Taste of Honey's "I Love You" and Gene Harris' "Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong." Worthwhile for any fan of jazzy, funky soul.