When, in 1950, a teenage Julian Bream happened upon Peter Warlock’s piano arrangements of some of John Dowland’s lute pieces, it was love at first sight. For almost the next 30 years, Bream would devote himself to both the lute and the guitar before relinquishing the former in favour of the latter (although he was to return to the lute many years later).

Composed in 2020 during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the first incarnation of the work was played as a sound installation at the Kapellen Leprosarium (Leper's Sanctuary) in Hanover, Germany. This sanctuary was built around 1250 and served as a quarantine for those who suffered from the plague and leprosy in the Middle Ages.

This hour of atmospheric dub techno music was recorded live during the 35th edition of my "Stay at home" online concert series in January 2022. All sounds are coming from the Roland Juno 60, Eurorack Modular and Elektron Digitakt. Effects by Valhalla DSP. Field Recordings by Luftrum.

Riot Jazz Brass Band return with their 4th studio album, dedicated to what they do best - making people happy!

You may know Rodrigo Amarante already. You may have heard "Tuyo," his theme tune to the Netflix drama Narcos, or the Little Joy album, recorded with Fab Moretti and Binki Shapiro, you might have noted his name among the credits on songs by Gal Costa, Norah Jones and Gilberto Gil; or perhaps you saw him play live with Brazilian samba big band Orquestra Imperial, or with Rio rockers Los Hermanos; you really should have heard his debut album, Cavalo, released in 2014.

David Amram's career as a versatile composer, conductor and multi-instrumentalist has spanned more than 70 years. Recorded here in its world premiere, Voyages for Solo Violin in three movements evokes ancient Egypt, Native American and African roots music and, in the words of the composer, "the tradition of the fiddler as a keeper of the flame." Ranging from prayer-like melodies to blues and polyrhythms, the Piano Sonata is one of the most jazz-influenced of any 20th-century work in this genre, while the Violin Sonata brings classical and jazz idioms together in music that inspired a collaboration with the writer Jack Kerouac.

Reentko Dirks is known for his genre-blending style, incorporating flamenco, jazz, and non-European influences, particularly from Arabian music. He has worked with artists and groups like Cirque du Soleil, Yo-Yo Ma, and Ksenija Sidorova, and has performed at iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall. In 2025, Dirks will release an Album featuring tracks dedicated to his late father, offering a reflective and emotional musical tribute. Dirks is part of the European Guitar Quartet and the ensemble Masaa, which won the German Jazz Prize in 2021.

I’m an avid fan of the TV comedy series Benidorm (like every night), about the adventures of a motley crew of ‘Brits’ on their annual holiday in Europe’s biggest resort town at the 3-Star Solana Hotel and which is on a permanent loop on a retro TV station here.

Bringing together British-Nigerian vocalist and composer Ola Onabulé with Philadelphia’s Hazelrigg Brothers and Austrian drummer Thomas Käfel, this release distills Onabulé’s acclaimed repertoire to its fully acoustic core. Recorded live in Bremen’s iconic Sendesaal, the project pursues fidelity and immediacy, employing hi-resolution and immersive audio formats, capturing the ensemble in real time. The result foregrounds interplay and musical presence, placing Onabulé’s striking vocal range and incisive songwriting in sharp focus.

Baroque giants La Serenissima return with VIVALDI 8 – VOLUME 2, following their previous instalment in February 2025 of Vivaldi 8 Volume 1. Recognised for ‘whipping up a storm with Vivaldi’, La Serenissima is ‘one of Britain’s best-loved chamber orchestras’ (The Telegraph) known for their outstanding performances, championing a host of neglected Italian baroque composers. Uniquely, the group’s entire repertoire is edited from source material by founder and violinist, Adrian Chandler OSI. Praise for Vivaldi recordings by La Serenissima: 5 stars “After being obsessed by the composer and his music world for more than 30 years, Chandler by now is Vivaldi incarnate” – The Times

The Steve Morse Band have announced details of their brand-new album, Triangulation, which will be released on 14 November via Music Theories Recordings (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ayreon, Paul Gilbert, Vandenberg).

Mendelssohn's music contains a fascinating duality: deeply rooted in German Romanticism, inspired by Bach and Beethoven, but at the same time shaped by his Jewish origins and the tension between these two worlds.

Shiraz, the Act debut by Dhafer Youssef, is the most personal album in the career of the world- renowned oud player and singer. In vibrant songs, it tells the story of the most important encounter of his life: meeting his wife, Shiraz Fradi.

Most jazz records are made in studios with perfect acoustics. Ours was made in a French château surrounded by vineyards. And the acoustics were perfect too. The atmosphere was as rich and complex as the region’s finest vintages - a setting unlike any other for a jazz session.

Sharon Bezaly is known not only for her outstanding musical talent, but also for her dedication to her instrument and its repertoire.