Together and separately these Swiss musicians, violinist Paul Giger and harpsichordist Marie-Louise Dähler present a symbiosis of old and new music that spans Bach, pulsating improvisation and strikingly original compositions. In all, a journey through musical and personal history which also, in “Bombay II”, reflects upon Giger’s years traveling in Asia. A sixth remarkable ECM album from Giger, a distinguished label debut for Dähler, and an important New Series release.

Universal Music will issue 40: The Best of 1979-2019 a new Simple Minds compilation that celebrates four decades of music from the Scottish band. This will be issued as a three-CD set, a 2LP vinyl package and as a single CD, with all three featuring a new track For One Night Only. “Compiled and sequenced by Jim Kerr & Charlie Burchill” the triple-CD set features 40 tracks, in total, while the vinyl offers 18. Audio has been remastered at Abbey Road.

For a band so closely associated with a narrow scene (New York dance-punk in the early 2000s), !!! has had a remarkably varied career, turning out sharp character-study-type albums of dance subcultures without ever running out of stones to turn over. Described as an exploration of the ’90s, Wallop is—as expected—a restlessly lively listen, touching on everything from soul-tinged club-pop (“This Is the Door,” “My Fault”) to dark, Prodigy-style rave (“Rhythm of the Gravity”) and new jack swing (the unprecedentedly poppy “Serbia Drums”). Not that genre tagging matters all that much: The songs are strong, the mood convivial, the energy sustained—a self-contained party, end to end.

Craft Recordings is pleased to announce the release of Chet Baker’s The Legendary Riverside Albums. The deluxe album set presents the artist’s output as a leader for the renowned jazz label, recorded and released between 1958 and 1959: (Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen To You, Chet Baker In New York, Chet and Chet Baker Plays The Best Of Lerner And Loewe. The recordings, which feature such icons as Bill Evans, Johnny Griffin and Kenny Burrell, have been cut from their original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.

"Achirana" marks the debut of a new trio, formed by ECM bassist of the first hour Arild Andersen and featuring, alongside veteran drummer John Marshall, Greek pianist Vassilis Tsabropoulos in his first recording for ECM. Likely to be hailed as a veritable 'discovery' in jazz circles, Tsabropoulos has long been recognised as an exceptionally gifted performer in other idioms. To quote Vladimir Ashkenazy, "Vassilis Tsabropoulos possesses rare talent". He has a reputation as a classical pianist, an interpreter of 19th and 20th century music, and as a conductor, and there is growing recognition for both his composing and his improvising.

A cleverly-themed album marked by rootsy Bayou accents, the Jazz Crusaders' Louisiana Hot Sauce (Music for all Kitchens) can be a rollicking good time. Swirling concoctions like the dobro and slide guitar-spiced "Red Beans and Rice" are edgier than normal Crusaders' fare, tapping gleefully into the duo's roots. Trombonist Wayne Henderson in particular benefits from sweaty workouts on tracks like the zydeco-tinged "File Mystique," and wailing "Crawdaddy." Henderson's soulful trombone also serves as the album connector to concept-stretchers like "Sweet Praline (When You're So Far Away)," which is a pretty, typically Crusader-ish mid-tempo ballad (sung by Dionne Warwick), simply re-titled to fit the album's culinary New Orleans theme.

This is a very pleasant collection of pretty, melodic songs. Usually based in piano or strummed guitar, the songs provide strong foundations for the steady singing of Sharon Acle. There is an undeniable similarity to the music of 1970s prog heroes Renaissance - though the instrumentalists are not as accomplished or as steeped in the traditions of classical music as John Tout or Terry Dunford. Listening to In Search for Joy is like taking a leisurely stroll through the park on lovely summer day.