South Korean singer Yeahwon Shin’s ECM debut, “Lua ya” is a gentle album of songs and lullabies, recorded in 2012 in the spacious acoustics of Mechanics Hall, near Boston. It’s a very intuitive set, shaped by “improvising, listening to our childhood memories and letting the music flow”, as Yeahwon says. Shin and pianist Aaron Parks played together just once before the present recording, finding “an instant improvisational connection” which is further explored here. Accordionist Rob Curto shares with Yeahwon an affinity for Brazilian music and has collaborated with her previously (in contexts including her Latin Grammy-nominated album “Yeahwon” on ArtistShare).

In April 2013, Spyro Gyra entered a recording studio in Rhinebeck, NY, a small town in the Hudson Valley. Jay Beckenstein and his band set out to do something that they had never done before in their nearly forty year history – improvise with each other over three days and in the process write and record an entire new album. Beckenstein concedes, “It was a bit of a gamble but we’re lucky to have a loyal fan base who are probably going to be interested in what we’re doing. I was also fairly confident that whatever came out of it would be pretty close to the way we have approached our live shows for years.”

Caro Emerald's album The Shocking Miss Emerald is the follow up to her smashing debut album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor, which sold over 2 million albums worldwide, making Miss Emerald one of the Top 5 most successful female artists in Europe. This stellar new cd picks up where her debut left off, serving an album of edgy, vivid, romantic and intense songs, all tied together with a 40s Parisian haute couture bow. Caro Emerald is a modern woman with a timeless classic style, an approach to life she has translated into her music. She brings retro jazz-blues into the 21st century by blending arrangement with sampling, scratching and pop to create her signature sound. Caro believes 'you should be able to listen to a song and hear something different every time.'

With the tragic passing of Michael Brecker in 2007 at the all-too-young age of 57, it seemed that the flagship group the Brecker Brothers, co-led by the saxophonist with his trumpet-wielding older brother Randy, was also to be a thing of the past. But some things never die; as it was, during the saxophonist's lifetime, the horn-led band that defined the term "downtown funk" and an edgy, urban sound that could only have come from New York City seemed to have an unquenchable life clearly fated to continue, even as the brothers separated at various points to pursue other projects.

"As full-bodied and comforting as home-baked apple pie" is one apt description of Houston Person's saxophone sound. Inasmuch as this simile attempts to convey the comforting, warm-hearted and accomplished nature of the tenorman's art, it is spot-on, but it must be remembered that Person's roots are in organ-centred R&B. So in addition to a velvety ballad technique Person also possesses an ability to imbue up-tempo material with an irresistible wailing intensity, so his crowd-pleasing bluesy numbers provide welcome variety to this judiciously balanced set.

The World Heritage in their 5th release recorded live at Tokyo's Akihabara Goodman in 2012, amazing improvised instrumental rock from Tatsuya Yoshida (drums), Seiichi Yamamoto (guitar), Natsuki Kido (guitar), Yuji Katsui (violin) and Mitsuru Nasuno (bass). The World Heritage is a Japanese supergroup gathered and guided by master drummer Yoshida Tatsuya. This group performs mostly high-energy improvised rock with some jazzy tinges, as well as some pieces composed by Tatsuya. All of the music is very energetic and often chaotic. Almost all of the band's material has been recorded live, with only a small handful of tracks being recorded in studio. The band would appeal to fans of other Tatsuya bands, in particular fans of Korekyojinn, Daimonji or Ruins.

Known for his mariachi-inspired easy listening sound, trumpeter Herb Alpert is one of the most successful instrumental performers in pop history. He is also one of the entertainment industry's canniest businessmen, having co-founded A&M Records – a label that ranks among the most prosperous artist-owned companies ever established – with partner Jerry Moss. Collection includes: The Lonely Bull (1962); South Of The Border (1964); Whipped Cream & Other Delights (1965); !!Going Places!! (1965); What Now My Love (1966); S.R.O (1966); The Beat Of The Brass (1968); Rise (1979); Fandango (1982); Bullish (1984); Keep Your Eye On Me (1987); Classics, Volume 1 (1987); Steppin' Out (Featuring Lani Hall) (2013); In The Mood (2014); Come Fly With Me (2015).

The Grammy winner takes on and transcends the physical, creative, and conceptual challenges of Miles Davis-Gil Evans' milestone recording and makes a powerful musical statement of his own.

One of the most memorable scores by Ennio Morricone in the late sixties is back in its definitive edition! Although best known for his collaborations with other directors (Sergio Leone, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Giuseppe Tornatore, Brian de Palma), the name of Ennio Morricone was asociated with Mauro Bolognini in a total of fifteen films over more than three decades, including some of his most famous and melodic works (Metello, L’Eredita Ferramonti, La Villa Dei Venerdi, Fatti di Gente Perbene, etc). L’Assoluto Naturale is one of his most celebrated collaborations, with a main theme that became immediately an absolute classic. The album was released on LP by Cinevox in 1969, and reissued on CD several times in Italy and Japan. We are very proud to release the score in complete form for the first time, with a very improved sound mastered by Claudio Fuiano and Dániel Winkler from the first generation master tapes, courtesy of Cinevox.

At its quietest moments, 2007's Memory Almost Full played like a coda to Paul McCartney's illustrious career; he seemed comfortable residing in the final act of his legend, happy to reflect and riff upon his achievements. Such measured meditation is largely absent from 2013's New, the first collection of original material he's released since 2007…

After sharing Grammy nominations in three categories earlier this year (two for production on Kenny Garrett’s album “Seeds From the Underground” and one co-writing of a song on Denise Donatelli’s album “Soul Shadows”), returning to playing piano after a year-long hiatus due for medical reasons, and releasing his new album “Born to Be Blue,” Brown may be on the verge of getting the recognition that in-the-know jazz lovers have known he deserves.

Maysa holds unique status in the world of R&B/Jazz. Her incomparably lush, sensuous vocals have garnered her legions of loyal, loving fans. As featured vocalist of the UK super group Incognito, core member of Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove and, of course, through her own albums and concerts, Maysa has been thrilling R&B and Jazz audiences for decades. Blue Velvet Soul is far and away the most sensuous and heartfelt recording of her brilliant career. Maysa thrills us with a stirring rendition of Quiet Fire a loving tribute to her mentor and role model Nancy Wilson that will leave you breathless.

Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow revisit classic Bley compositions on an exceptional album recorded in Lugano last year by Manfred Eicher. Included here are spirited new versions of Utviklingssang and Vashkar, and the suites Les Trois Lagons, Wildlife and The Girl Who Cried Champagne. Carlas robust tunes are vividly conveyed, all members solo compellingly, and the trio has never sounded better.

A solo album is always, for a musician, something special. Then, when the musician is serious, intact, as Franco D' Andrea, then the solo album takes on a value even higher. Why Today is the result of a research work and preparation, which lasted over a year, finally resulted in a recording session that originated about two hours of music.