Beyond all else, the single trait that characterizes Burt Bacharach's music is deeply felt emotion coupled with an astonishing ability to evoke profound feelings of love, joy, sorrow, yearning and loss through his work in a wide variety of genres. It is a direct result of not only great talent and a drive for perfection but also his unique musical background.

The Greek duo of lyra player Sokratis Sinopoulos and pianist Yann Keerim’s first studio statement is a deep well of inspired musical dialogues that cross the idiomatic space between European folk tradition and chamber-jazz seamlessly. Bartók’s six “Romanian Folk Dances” appear in newly shaped guises throughout the album, with Sokratis’s painterly lyra playing setting a lyrical counterpoint against Yann’s in turns rhythmically propulsive and quietly thoughtful accompaniment. This is the first time the duo is heard distilled from Sokratis’s acclaimed quartet (albums Eight Winds and Metamodal) and their conversations interlock gracefully, always responsive to one another and with a keen sense of space and atmosphere. Their own duo elaborations join the Bartók studies unnoticeably, as everything becomes connected by the pair’s fluid expression. Recorded in Athens, in February 2024, the album was produced by Manfred Eicher.

Killer In Stereo: I’ve Been Twistin’ features rare stereo tracks recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis near the end of his time at Sun Records in the late 1960s. Newly remixed and remastered in 2025, this collection is the third in a series of featuring the rock and roll revolutionary in fine form. Focusing on his versions of rock classics like “What’d I Say" and “C.C. Rider," this volume also features alternate versions of his tracks like “Money" and “Hello Josephine."

Released in 2001 on Jazz Magnet Records, Thoughts of You is the stellar debut recording as a leader from acclaimed bassist, composer, and arranger Mary Ann McSweeney. Featuring an expressive frontline pairing of valve/slide trombonist Mike Fahn and saxophonist Donny McCaslin (switching between tenor and soprano), the album establishes McSweeney as both a formidable rhythm section anchor and a highly inventive arranger. Backed by pianist Henry Hey (who doubles on Fender Rhodes) and drummer Tim Horner, McSweeney blends deeply personal original compositions—such as the Ray Brown tribute "R.B.'s Tribute," the evocative waltz "Winter on the Bay," and "Nana's Tango"—with reimagined classics, including Wayne Shorter's "Yes and No" and a soulful, half-time funk arrangement of "Amazing Grace."

Released in 2006 on Suburban Records, Speeder People is a high-octane studio album from the Dutch psychedelic stoner rock outfit Astrosoniq. Hailing from Oss, Netherlands, the band delivers a heavy, riff-driven blend of fuzzy stoner metal, driving space rock, and cosmic psychedelic soundscapes. Across 13 tracks, Astrosoniq crafts a wall of sound powered by twin-guitar firepower, heavy bass grooves, and retro synth effects. Highlighting their genre-bending approach with tracks like "Godeater!," "Rocket Science," and "Red 'Uns Go Fasta!," Speeder People remains a standout release for fans of Monster Magnet, Hawkwind, and Kyuss.

Rumours is the kind of album that transcends its origins and reputation, entering the realm of legend - it's an album that simply exists outside of criticism and outside of its time, even if it thoroughly captures its era. Prior to this LP, Fleetwood Mac were moderately successful, but here they turned into a full-fledged phenomenon, with Rumours becoming the biggest-selling pop album to date. While its chart success was historic, much of the legend surrounding the record is born from the group's internal turmoil. Unlike most bands, Fleetwood Mac in the mid-'70s were professionally and romantically intertwined, with no less than two couples in the band, but as their professional career took off, the personal side unraveled. Bassist John McVie and his keyboardist/singer wife Christine McVie filed for divorce as guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham and vocalist Stevie Nicks split, with Stevie running to drummer Mick Fleetwood…

Esteemed for almost 60 years as one of the greatest Chopin interpreters, Maurizio Pollini confirms his preeminence with this 2017 release on Deutsche Grammophon, and offers his first all-Chopin disc since 2012. Chopin's late works were composed between 1845 and 1849, and include the Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60, the 3 Mazurkas, Op. 59, the Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat major, Op. 61, the 2 Nocturnes, Op. 62, the 3 Mazurkas, Op. 63, the 3 Waltzes, Op. 64, and the Mazurka in F minor, Op. Posth. 68, No. 4; they are notable for their harmonic richness and freedom of melodic embellishment, characteristics that made them especially influential among his Romantic contemporaries. Pollini's fluid phrasing and control of expression and dynamics have always given his performances sophistication and a feeling of balance, though these are engaging renditions that are far from cerebral or clinical, claims that critics have sometimes laid at Pollini's door. Yet listeners can hear for themselves how polished and deeply felt these performances are, and appreciate the artistic wholeness of Pollini's conceptions, from the elegance of the "Minute" Waltz to the sublime melancholy of the posthumous Mazurka in F minor. Highly recommended for fans of great piano music.