Bastien,Pierre / Banabila,Michel - Nuits Sans Nuit - VINYL LP

Within their varied appearances and sounds, the piano, vibraphone, and marimba make up a unique family. Nonetheless, key similarities bind them together, and Sustain explores just that. The latest multi-composer by Navona Records, Sustain presents works for various keyboards that explore not only the abilities of each instrument, but the varied approaches from five different composers. John Dante Prevedini's Lyme Sonata begins the album, looking at the sonic interplay between smooth and jagged musical voices on piano. Robert Thomas' Moto Perpetuo and Sixteen Lines Circling a Square create an audial puzzle on solo marimba and on marimba and vibraphone, respectively. Working through layered structures, each piece involves finding the answer to some mental and sonic games. Willem Van Twillert's Adagio for Piano and Andante for Antoinette presents the composer's serene, smooth, and in this case romantic, approach to writing music. Daniel Adams introduces Solstice Introspect for three vibraphones. Inspired by the feelings conjured up by the winter solstice, where the day is at it's darkest and feelings of both peace and unsettlement are stirred up, the three vibraphones play with the opposing forces of movement and stillness. John A. Carollo's Piano Etudes and Piano Suite No. 9 take listeners on a multifaceted journey inspired by the romantic sensibilities of Franz Liszt, the intensity and mischievousness of author Edward Gorey's story Doubtful Guest, and more. SUSTAIN demonstrates all that the keyboard is able to present, as well as all it's composers are able to pull from the instrument. From soft to striking, from smooth to jagged, Sustain gives it all, and everything in between.

Loreena McKennitt - Lost Souls [COMPACT DISCS] date 06/06/2018

Two worlds, one conversation. On Nuit Parisienne à La Havane, Cuban piano virtuoso Roberto Fonseca and French cellist Vincent Segal capture the magic of a first encounter - no rehearsals, no plan, just pure music. Recorded in Havana over five days, this album is a celebration of spontaneity, friendship, and the art of listening. Here, Paris meets Havana. The warmth of Cuban rhythms embraces the sophistication of French melody; echoes of danzón, chanson, classical and African influences intertwine seamlessly. Every track feels alive breathing, shimmering, unfolding like a dream that could only happen once.At a time when music is often polished, programed, and overproduced, Fonseca and Segal remind us what happens when you let go of control. This is music that doesn't need to prove anything, it simply is. Deeply human, effortlessly cinematic, Nuit Parisienne à La Havane feels like watching eleven short films through sound poetic, emotional, and timeless. Whether you're drawn to jazz, world, or classical music (or simply crave something honest and alive), this record will find it's way under your skin. It's an album to return to again and again, always revealing something new.