Patricia Barber's Modern Cool was the recording that made Barber an international jazz star. On the initial tour for this album, Barber played a four night stand at The Jazz Standard in New York where she was heard by Bruce Lundvall of Blue Note Records. This led to a string of Barber recordings for both Premonition and Blue Note, worldwide touring and unapologetic critical acclaim from which Barber never looked back. Audiophiles were well aware of Barber from her 1994 Premonition recording Café Blue. Sonically, modern cool copied the café blue playbook: same recording studio, engineer, and recording approach. Musically, Barber added trumpeter Dave Douglas to her stellar working band and showcased her original compositions more than on any previous recording.

Mastered on Mobile Fidelity's world-renowned mastering system, this hybrid SACD presents Heart Like a Wheel with astounding clarity, depth, and naturalism. Still the most difficult instrument to accurately capture, the female voice is here conveyed with transfixing realism, warmth, and feeling. The inner beauty of Ronstadt's flawless phrasing and passionate inflections bears out with obvious candor, her tonality and emotiveness pouring through every lyric and wordless expression.

Releasing her first full-length holiday album, Sara Evans once again teams with producer Mark Bright. "At Christmas" features Evans singing some of her favorite Christmas classics, highlighted by the upbeat title track, which was written by Shane Stevens and Toby Lightman, and "12 Days of Christmas," which features Evans' daughters, Olivia and Audrey, lending a hand.

Carl Nielsen took Danish music into the 20th century, and his chamber music has a prominent position in the international repertoire. In spite of this Carl Nielsen only composed a limited number of chamber works for strings. This CD features two of his string quartets (in G minor and G major) and the only string quintet (in G major) he ever composed. All three works played a central role in Carl Nielsen's musical career, since they were major successes for the debuting composer and contributed to his initial breakthrough.

Here is the second volume of The Young Danish String Quartet's highly acclaimed miniseries of Carl Nielsen's string quartets. The first volume in The Young Danish String Quartet's mini-series of Carl Nielsen's quartets was selected as Editor's Choice in Gramophone last summer, and a number of prestigious magazines and newspapers from all over the world agreed: This interpretation of Nielsen's string quartets sheds brilliant new light on Denmark's national composer.

This matchup between pianist Oscar Peterson, bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and drummer Louis Hayes directly precedes Peterson's recordings for Pablo. The pianist is in typically brilliant form on this recording, performing six standards (including 'Soft Winds' and 'On the Trail') along with his own 'Wheatland.' It is not too surprising that Peterson would want to record frequently with Pedersen in future years.

In the Land of Grey and Pink is considered by many to be a pinnacle release from Caravan. The album contains an undeniable and decidedly European sense of humor and charm. In addition, this would mark the end of the band's premiere lineup. Co-founder David Sinclair would leave Caravan to form Matching Mole with Soft Machine drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt in August of 1971.

Harold Mabern and his piano join together with George Mraz, bass, and Joe Farnsworth, drums, to compile a 10-track SACD full of jazz's favorite staples from Harold Arlen, Michael Leonard and many more. A great piano trio album full of driving swing feel, groove and dynamism.

Seven of the great Miles Davis 50's tunes in two live dates. John Coltrane's last recording with Miles (recorded on March 21st, 1960). Coltrane's replacement in the band, Sonny Stitt (recorded on October 11th, 1960), has a more subdued style here. Great live sound. This is one to get if you enjoy jazz.

Tea for three with Gadi Lehavi and Ben Tiberio.

When it comes to holiday records emitted from the shadows of the mighty Motown hit factory on West Grand Boulevard, few could match the quality and quantity from one of their key artists.

Here is Pollini in all his early glory, in performances expertly transferred from 1976. Shorn of all virtuoso compromise or indulgence, the majestic force of his command is indissolubly integrated with the seriousness of his heroic impulse. Never have I been compelled into such awareness of the underlying malaise beneath the outward and nationalist defiance of the Polonaises.

In June 2021, Rock’n’roll band RIVAL SONS delivered two live performances from Catalina Island, CA. They were originally streamed via VEEPS to fans at home across the world, many of whom were still in lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We hear harp, electronics, piano, cello and percussion convene in clash and collusion, setting forth a dazzling array of sound and expression. Plains of disarticulation and misdirection are cut by moments of inextricable entanglement, where we hear discrete sounds fuse, instruments bleeding into one another, at times taking on the warp and weft of a companion. The recording is of an extraordinary performance of improvisational prowess by four musicians working at the very limits of their technical and expressive capacities.

Hip-hop legends Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have reunited for Snoop's 20th full-length album Missionary, released by Death Row Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The star-studded album features Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Sting, Method Man, Jelly Roll, Tom Petty, BJ the Chicago Kid, Jhené Aiko, Alus, K.A.A.N., Smitty, Dem Jointz, Cocoa Sarai, Stalone, and Fat Money.