Willie Johnson 'Bunk' - The Complete "Jazz Information" Recordings - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Bunk's band recording at San Jacinto Hall.

One of the rising stars of the Philly soul scene, the uniquely talented vocalist Tesa Williams has actually been making moves for quite some time. After years of lending her voice in a supporting role to artists such as Gerald Levert and Vesta Williams, Tesa has become a well-respected artist at the front of the stage, wowing audiences with her dynamic presence and beautiful phrasing. Her long overdue solo album is slated to be released in the near future and if this second single from that eagerly anticipated debut is any indication, Williams has a great chance of becoming a big star. On her latest single, Tesa puts her own spin on Deniece Williams' gem, InchFreeInch - which hit No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and also climbed to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in May 1977. Tesa repurposes the classic song for these modern times with the help of legendary producer Butch Ingram and a superb backing group comprised of the Philadelphia area's finest musicians.

Daniel Weissmann, Managing Director of the Liège Royal Philharmonic, is also a violist. Following an initial album released by Fuga Libera (2018) and chiefly devoted to German music, he continues his exploration of the chamber repertory for viola with this new album, here in partnership with the pianist Peter Petrov. The programme explores the French Romantic repertory, in a world premiere recording of the British musicologist Hugh Macdonald's remarkable and formidably difficult arrangement for viola and piano of Berlioz's Harold en Italie. The album is completed by 'fin-de-siecle' pieces by Vierne, Chausson and Tournemire (all three students of Cesar Franck), written between 1894 and 1897, which embrace the full expressive and melancholic potential of the instrument.