McClain sings soul with incredible power – he knows when to pull the punches and when to cool it down. "Give It Up to Love," the title track, acknowledges his gospel roots; he performs it as a vocal prayer to God asking for wisdom, love, and strength. Bruce Katz's contributions on B-3 Hammond organ expands McClain's sound, particularly on the "Green Onions"-influenced "What You Want Me to Do." The sparsely effective arrangement on "Here I Go Falling in Love Again" brings McClain up front as he cries of being a soul stripped to the bare bones. Kevin Barry's funky bass blows while McClain declares himself as a child of God in "Child of the Mighty Mighty".

For more than 30 years, South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo has infused its township sound of Isicathamiya with rich gospel harmonies. LBM's unique sound was brought to American audiences thanks to Paul Simon's landmark Graceland, and the group has toured and recorded tirelessly since. Long Walk To Freedom is a new retrospective in which the group rerecords new versions of songs from throughout its career with help from such guests as Emmylou Harris, Sarah McLachlan, Taj Mahal, and Zap Mama as well as several popular countrymen. As with the Simon album, the North American guests' voices fit hand-in-glove with the group's warm harmonies.

Coming off of his success as a sideman with Miles Davis' sextet, Riverside Records gave Kelly an opportunity to expand on his solo career. Kelly Blue was his second LP for the label. The songs feature Kelly and bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb. Together they had formed the rhythm section for the Miles Davis bands. Guests include Nat Adderley, Bobby Jaspar and Benny Golson. Producer and jazz critic Orrin Keepnews described the album as "a repertoire ideally suited to the blues concept on which the album is based".

With "Arias in Blue", the Bastian Walcher Quartet, together with soprano Cathrin Lange, presents an album that transcends the boundaries of musical genres. The spectrum ranges from original compositions in the style of the 1930s to new arrangements of well-known baroque arias by Bach, Rachmaninoff and Handel, paired with an electro-chill sound.

"Two worlds become one: Classical and jazz blend with a beautiful blow." Magne Thormodsæter is an ECM-alumni, bassist, and in- demand session musician. On L’arte della persuasione, he fuses two worlds with the full force of a beautiful blow. A 35- minute story told in five acts, it pits a high-caliber classical ensemble against a jazz group. The result is captivatingly unclassifiable.

"En Rymd av Färg" is well-written and ditto arranged jazz music in the larger format with nice themes and sounds, fantastic performances and a voice "to die for". The songs were written with the big band members in mind. It is noticeable in the end result which is really good, modern big band music with sterling solos by, among others, Alberto Pinton on baritone saxophone, Christer Olofsson on trombone, magnificent Stefan Wingefors on piano and not least Karolina's sharpened soprano saxophone. More of this in the future thanks!" (Andreas Backelund LIRA)

Gregory Groover's Criss Cross debut, recorded on the Boston born-and-bred tenor saxophonist's thirtieth birthday, is a tour de force. Joined by a bespoke sextet of his favorite players, all New York-based, Groover presents a recital of 11 original tone-parallels to family and friends, his intentions anticipated, illuminated and fulfilled by his gifted bandmates.

Brit folk and songwriter pop at the highest level: Prolific singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams and recently reinvigorated troubadour Dan Willson (aka Withered Hand) have announced a collaboration album, "Willson Williams".

"RSD First" release. The US Record Store Day page for this release states that it was released in a quantity of 2,000 copies.

In a diary entry from the year 1827, Robert Schumann writes: Solitude is the intimate encounter with oneself, […], it is an active, thoughtful, creative tranquility, the active state of the soul amidst the body's passivity. - Solitude is the nursemaid of all great spirits, the mother of heroes, the companion of the poet, the friend of the arts.

Five-time Emmy-winning composer Jeff Beal releases his album "New York Études" of piano music.

In 2015, pianist Jonathan Biss initiated the Beethoven/5 commissioning project with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and more than fifteen other orchestras, resulting in a groundbreaking collaboration over nine years. The project yielded five extraordinary new piano works by some of today’s most significant composers, responding to Beethoven’s own concerti. The first volume, recorded with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, features Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto and Brett Dean’s companion piece, “Gneixendorfer Musik, A Winter’s Journey”.

One of our most important rock bands of the early 1990s and 2000s, YUP, returns as an instrumental band. The prolific rock band made a significant impact on Finland's musical landscape during their active years with their distinctive and versatile sound and the lyrics and vocals of lead singer Jarkko Martikainen. The band took influences from punk, jazz, folk music and progressive rock, among others. YUP Instrumental will release their new single Rähinää, feileniä digitally today on Kaskelotti Records. The song is available on streaming services from today.

A musical journey through Renaissance Europe via pieces that were highly popular and whose melodies were reused and varied by some of the best composers of the time.

A new and strikingly effective arrangement of a modern minimalist classic.