Faced with the choice of any single Bud Powell date to aptly represent his intense musical genius, choosing Jazz Giant would not be a bad bet. Culled from two sessions (spring 1949 and winter 1950) this Verve release showcases the master of bebop piano leading a trio - a setting in which he excelled. With impeccable support from bassist Ray Brown and drummer Max Roach, (substitute Curly Russell for Brown on the later date), an inspired Powell roars through a varied selection of original tunes and standards. In the category of brisk burners, we get one of his best-known compositions, the ebullient "Tempus Fugit." Ray Noble's "Cherokee," Harold Arlen's "Get Happy," and the ever-popular "Sweet Georgia Brown" are all taken at almost the same exhilarating clip…

The only, eponymous album of this Fantastic Swedish quartet was released by Sonet Records in 1974 and is often considered as one of the very best Swedish records of mid-70’s era. Saga were formed by Christer Stålbrandt (the leader of great, heavy progressive band November) and represented a further development of the style prevalent on 2nd and 3rd November albums. The new band had an expanded range of instruments (including cello, piano and soprano sax) and more accomplished compositions (with great results), although it was still guitar-based, raw and very intense heavy progressive music (sung in Swedish). This CD edition has been carefully remastered from original, analogue source and sounds better than ever!

Röyksopp announce the concluding third part to their extraordinary Profound Mysteries project, out now on Dog Triumph. Profound Mysteries III brings the acclaimed series to a climax, having worked with a cast of global visual and musical collaborators to create an incredible 30 tracks, 30 artefacts, 30 visualisers and 30 films that have been revealed throughout the year.
By most metrics, Röyksopp's Profound Mysteries project is everything longtime fans could want: sleek Nordic synth pop, a grand return to the album format, and collaborations with left-field mavericks like Alison Goldfrapp, Jamie Irrepressible, Susanne Sundfør, and Astrid S, among others. Launched in April 2022, the Norwegian electronic duo's first proper album in eight years arrived as a highly conceptualized world of off-putting visual "artifacts"…

John Taverner's accidentally totemic theme is subjected to more wondrous transformations by the likes of Robert Parsons, Henry Purcell and of course Christopher Tye—and inspires new works from Nico Muhly and Gavin Bryars.

Did you perhaps also think that the Art of Fugue was a mathematical-abstract work, possibly something cumbersome, an unfinished “cycle of death”? Banish that from your mind…

As with several other of Kipnis' albums, these could serve as either an eye opener for those uninitiated to the potential of the late 20th century harpsichord in the hands of these virtuoso musicians. And an introduction of the incredibly rich, varied music of the 18th Century. Igor Kipnis was so much more than a master of the keyboard, he helped introduce three generations to what the Baroque was all about.

Ian Gillan's final solo outing before his second comeback with Deep Purple is possibly the singer's most rocking solo collection. Originally a European release, Toolbox finally appeared in North American record stores in 1997. The disc is hampered by its '80s production (complete with faux-Van Halen guitar licks and big reverb drum sounds) but Gillan's personality and dynamic performances preserve Toolbox's sharp rock & roll edge. Tracks like "Candy Horizon" and "Don't Hold Me Back" have more than their share of questionable lyrics, but Gillan's trademark screams easily overshadow any poetic shortcomings. Nothing can compare to the classic recordings Gillan was involved with in the early '70s, but among his second-tier offerings, Toolbox is definitely one of the best.

John Coltrane's matchup with singer Johnny Hartman, although quite unexpected, works extremely well. Hartman was in prime form on the six ballads, and his versions of "Lush Life" and "My One and Only Love" have never been topped. Coltrane's playing throughout the session is beautiful, sympathetic, and still exploratory; he sticks exclusively to tenor on the date. At only half an hour, one wishes there were twice as much music, but what is here is classic, essential for all jazz collections.