Herbert von Karajan made Anton Bruckner’s mammoth 8th Symphony a center of his large repertory, recording it for release four times, in 1944, 1957, 1975 and finally in 1988, shortly before the maestro’s death. Karajan’ s emotional connection with the 8th is obvious and, in comparing the last two of these releases, I’ve been very impressed with how an aging conductor could re-invent his interpretations. As one can tell from these two Karajan performances and those from other musicians, the 8th can support many different approaches, with an almost kaleidoscopic array of musical and emotional elements revealing different colors as its components are played in different ways.

EXTRAORDINARY MID-90s BROADCAST RECORDING FROM STEPHEN STILLS Recorded for live FM broadcast at the 4,000 seater Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, this mid 1990s performance by Stephen Stills came four years after his last solo album, 1991 s Stills Alone. The instrument he played on that stripped down album, a metal-top acoustic resonating guitar fitted with electric pick-ups, was out again for the initial acoustic set at this 95 performance, following which his electric set featured Gerald Johnson on bass, Mike Finnigan on keyboards and vocals, and Joe Vitale on drums An enthusiastic 'Midnight Rider' opens the acoustic set, and Stills sounds in improved voice over the raw, gravely sound that surprised many fans on Stills Alone. Two medleys are featured; 'So Begins the Task' coupled with 'Johnny's Garden', and the 'Daylight Again/Find the Cost of Freedom' suite, close the unplugged part of the show. The electric set finds Stills still on the metal-top acoustic for the first three numbers. 'Love the One You're With' ignites the crowd, following which 'Change Partners' features some superb harmonies with Finnigan. Finnigan cuts loose next on the vocals for the blues standard 'Born Under a Bad Sign'. For the remaining five electric numbers, Stills dips into the CSNY catalogue for 'Long Time Gone', 'Dark Star' and 'Woodstock', and throws in his biggest hit with The Buffalo Springfield, 'For What It's Worth', delivered as an audience sing-along. The concert closer is a ramped up version of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's minor hit from 1965, 'Born In Chicago .

The Nocturne is one of the most popular and beloved forms of music. Yet, many of us today do not know the name of its creator: John Field. Born in Ireland, Field lived during the same period as Beethoven, and his musical legacy has influenced not only Chopin but also generations of composers up to the present day. “By recording this album, I hope to share the story of this historically important composer and to encourage listeners to discover the origins of the Nocturne.” Alice Sara Ott

Long-awaited reissue of an ultra-rare surf music item! SURF MUSIC PREMIUM COLLECTION〉Miracle reissue of the original soundtrack album of "Surf Party" (1964), a beach movie produced by 20th Century Fox, which is known as an extremely rare item among the surf music related albums. ! The album features rare songs by Jackie DeShannon, Astronauts, and The Routers, and Astronauts' "Surf Party" was a hit in Japan at the time. In addition, as a bonus track, the entire soundtrack album of the second beach movie "Wild on the Beach" (1965) is included!

These strong, stylish, intelligently mapped-out, and excellently engineered interpretations of Brahms' complete solo-piano variation sets find pianist Garrick Ohlsson on peak technical and musical form. The impetuous fervor and tempo extremes that characterized his 1977 EMI release of the Handel and Paganini variation sets have given way to steadier, better integrated tempos and an altogether stronger linear awareness that yields greater textural diversity and color without sacrificing power and mass. What is more, ear-catching rubatos, voicings, and articulations are borne out of what's in the score.

On the occasion of the Bruckner bicentenary, the Vienna Philharmonic recorded its first ever complete Bruckner cycle under the baton of Christian Thielemann. In addition to the well-known canon of nine symphonies, the two earliest Bruckner symphonies in F minor and D minor, which are a world premiere on DVD and Blu-ray, were also recorded for the first time in the orchestra's history. This uniquely complete edition from the Musikverein and Salzburg Festival, featuring 11 symphonies, also includes extensive conversations with Christian Thielemann about each symphony and insights into his rehearsal work.

This release collects two of Toots & the Maytals' finest releases of the mid-'70s: Funky Kingston, generally viewed as their finest album, and its follow-up, In the Dark. This is some of the finest music of the rocksteady era, and with improved sound over the individual album releases, a great place to start for Toots & the Maytals or the rocksteady movement in general.

Jazzaggression is happy to present another album by this unique instrumental/avant-jazz ensemble from Leeds, UK. After their first album was picked up by renowned radio DJ Gilles Peterson, the band’s success was secured, and the group spent the first half of 2024 working on their second album, ENOS. Known for their dynamic compositions, exciting improvisations, and intricate melodies, the group continues to push the boundaries of small-ensemble jazz. The captivating melodic structures that defined their debut remain front and center, now enriched by the maturity and artistic depth of a band confidently hitting its stride.

Second album by the Cologne drummer and composer in his quartet line-up with Tony Lakatos (tenor saxophone), Billy Test (piano) and Doug Weiss (bass) as a CD in a beautifully designed three-part digipack on JazzJazz. After »Choose Loose« (2022), »Mocambo Affair« is the second album that Dominik Raab has recorded together with Tony Lakatos, Billy Test and Doug Weiss. Like the quartet's debut, it consists exclusively of Raab's own compositions, with the nine new pieces sounding even more gripping and passionate. With dreamlike certainty, Lakatos, Test, Weiss and Raab complement each other to form a virtuoso team that lets Raab's visions shine. »Mocambo Affair« is a work of one piece and offers pure listening pleasure.

Mamãe Eu Quero is a famous Carnival marchinha from 1937, composed by Vicente Paiva and Jararaca. The original recording was made by Jararaca himself in 1937, on the Odeon label, and to this day it is one of the most famous Brazilian songs of all time. According to ECAD, the office responsible for collecting and distributing royalties, it is the third most played recording in Carmen Miranda's voice in the last five years (from July 2010 to March 2015), in segments such as radio, live music, party houses, entertainment centres and environmental sound systems.

Miracle is a part of a CD-and-book multimedia collection, with Dion's music providing the soundtrack to Geddes's pictorial book celebrating the joy of babies. The songs were produced by David Foster. Among tracks on the album are cover versions of John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy", Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World", Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", Johannes Brahms's "Brahms' Lullaby", Nancy Wilson's "If I Could", Henri Salvador's "Le loup, la biche et le chevalier (une chanson douce)", and Carol Welsman's "Baby Close Your Eyes". All other tracks are original songs.

This posthumous CD is novel because it features Joe Pass exclusively on acoustic guitar, and it is obvious that he enjoyed every minute of these sessions. "The Shadow of Your Smile" is no longer easy listening fodder, as Pass turns it into a miniature master class in swing. "Star Eyes" is accented by the soft squeaks of Pass' fingers gently weaving their intricate magic. Most of the works of Joe Pass tended to be improvised blues, so the title track is an exception – a simple yet elegant ballad written for his wife. "Blues for Angel" highlights his matchless mastery of slow blues. The boppish blues "Satellite Village" is a perfect closer. The good news is that there are several more unreleased sessions by Joe Pass that will follow this superb collection.

John Edward Illsley is an English musician, best known as bass guitarist of the rock band Dire Straits. With it, he has received multiple BRIT and Grammy Awards, and a Heritage Award. As one of the founding band members, with guitarist brothers Mark and David Knopfler, and drummer Pick Withers, Illsley played a role in the development of Dire Straits' sound. By the time the group disbanded in 1995 changes in personnel meant that Illsley and lead singer Mark Knopfler were the only two original band members remaining. Illsley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Dire Straits in 2018. Illsley has produced two albums of his own, with Mark Knopfler as a guest musician, and has helped with Mark's personal projects and charities.

Quartet (1996) is an album by the Pat Metheny Group. The album features Pat Metheny on guitar, Lyle Mays on keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, and Paul Wertico on drums. Most of the tracks were loosely written or improvised, using several unusual instruments. The Group itself never played these songs live, though Metheny played "When We Were Free" with his trio and recorded a live version on the album Day Trip. "As I Am" was played during trio concerts with Michael Brecker. Metheny remarked in a podcast retrospective that the improvisational late-middle portions of, Quartet contain some of the darkest music the Group has ever recorded. He also stated that "When We Were Free" is a personal standout for him, especially Mays's piano solo.

The original line on Gary Clark, Jr. was that the young Texas guitarist was supposed to be the future of the blues, having been mentored by Jimmie Vaughan and Eric Clapton, but as his star rises, Clark has made it increasingly clear that his creative ambitions run a lot deeper than being the next hotshot guitar slinger. On his major-label debut, 2012's Blak and Blu, Clark demonstrated he isn't interested in following the path of blues traditionalists, and while there's plenty of great guitar work on 2015's The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, this is by no means a conventional blues album.