Shakespeare's illustrious prose is inextricably linked with the music that was performed in his plays. The Bard frequently directed his characters to burst into song, cannily catering to the vast audiences who flocked to the Globe Theatre, expecting to enjoy the popular melodies of the day that were interwoven throughout the narrative. English novelist and biographer Peter Ackroyd remarked, "It can be argued that Shakespeare was the first dramatist to make song an integral part of the drama and can thus be seen as the begetter of the musical theatre."

The fact that Niels Wilhelm Gade became famous as a composer primarily for his symphonic and concertante music is probably one of the reasons why his piano music, despite being widely published in print during his lifetime, has been relegated to the shadows. Marie-Luise Bodendorff presents a selection of Gade's piano works here, which makes it clear that we should revise our image of Gade.

The program of the CD with the Swiss pianist Gabiz Reichert with works by Schumann, Rachmaninoff and others presents itself as a unity of three parts: Images that convey different facets of the principle of return. They are all inspired by various influences that defy conventional interpretation, as the pianist explains in an accompanying text.

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of modern jazz with Art Hirahara's latest album "Peace Unknown" from Posi-Tone Records.

Grammy-award winning blues icon Koko Taylor was a force of nature. The legendary Queen of the Blues was one of the genre’s best-selling and most recognizable artists. With her huge, gritty voice and the backing of her powerhouse band, The Blues Machine, she delivered tough Chicago blues over a 45-year career, ending with her death in 2009. For people all over the world, her music IS the blues as much as BB King’s or Buddy Guy’s.

Five Finger Death Punch announce forthcoming release of “20 Years of Five Finger Death Punch – Best Of Volume 1”.

Since his student days, the German-Taiwanese pianist Marcel Mok has hardly studied any other work as frequently and intensively as Bach's Goldberg Variations BWV 988. It was therefore only logical not only to conclude his studies with this variation cycle, but also to make his recording debut with it. The result of this exploration absolutely proves him right!

Pianist, vocalist, and composer Dawn Clement has proven to be a joyful and formidable force in modern creative music through her work with Jane Ira Bloom, säje, Matt Wilson, Ron Miles, Julian Priester and many others over the last two decades. With Delight, she forms a captivating, tri-generational unit with legendary bassist Buster Williams and the singular drummer Matt Wilson, and creates a soulful, endlessly dynamic recording of mostly original compositions. Torchbearers of the tradition while trailblazers in evocative & surprising sonic explorations, Delight describes not just their gathering, but also the resultant music created - inspired, original and resplendent.

This is a programme that powerfully demonstrates the musical potential of the small. Whilst none of the pieces before us are technically miniatures, all are quite modest in their length: from descriptive piano pieces to short movements, to a sonata that wasn’t even billed as a sonata, so peculiar did its constituent parts appear. And yet in all cases, we hear more than the sum of these modest parts, thanks to the brilliance and imagination of their creators.

Sly & The Family Stone were true pioneers on so many levels: black/white, male/female, rock/soul, the act shattered all preconceptions of what popular music could be, and would go on to become one of the most groundbreaking and influential artists the world has ever witnessed. The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 is an unprecedented live performance by the original Family Stone line-up, recorded just prior to their signing to Epic Records, and a full year before their chart breakthrough with 'Dance To The Music.' This fascinating recording explicates Sly Stone’s genius on a tremendously exciting and atmospheric set of vintage soul covers, peppered with the arrangements, motifs and intoxicating energy that would soon become familiar during the group’s ascent. Interest in Sly is high with the forthcoming documentary directed by Questlove, but to experience the full impact of the Family Stone’s legendary abilities from the start, this historic document is required listening.

Laura Lootens’s first collaboration with naïve, ‘Diabolico’ leads us into a world of strange tales and pacts with the devil and other ghostly apparitions which actually form the core of a magnificent journey in sound, covering an extremely varied range of styles.

Latest release from Danish saxophonist Hans Ulrik.

Grammy-winning artist Trisha Yearwood releases her new album The Mirror. The album is her first fully co-written and co-produced album. “I’m honored to join forces with Virgin Music Group as I embark on this exciting new chapter. Bringing my Gwendolyn label into the MCA/Universal family truly feels like coming home. I can’t wait to share my new album, The Mirror. Creating this music has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” said Yearwood.

The Boneshakers are back with Live To Be This, their 11th studio album and their most electrifying release yet. Set to drop on renowned Blues Label Gulf Coast Records, this album brings the band's signature Blues & Soul energy to soaring new heights, fueled by the powerhouse vocals of Jenny Langer and the masterful guitar work of Randy Jacobs.

The concept of the album is all about trusting feeling over thought.