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Beautifully introspective work from reedman Emil Mangelsdorff – material that's very different than the sounds he was bringing to the German jazz scene in his youth, and which showcase the mature command he developed over his instruments during the passage of time! The record features material recorded almost a decade apart, but still with a nicely unified vibe – four later tracks that have Mangelsdorff soloing in these tracks that really demonstrate his growing sense of tone – balanced with earlier material that features some slightly different smaller groupings – three trio numbers with Jo Flinner on piano and Gerhard Bitter on bass, and four more with the great Attila Zoller on guitar. Mangelsdorff blows soprano, alto, and flute – and titles include "Phrygian Summer", "Corrina", "Joanne", "After The Snow", "Mezzanine Floor", "Stiner", "Ember", and "Songe Ma Belle". CD

A very open, spacious sort of set from the German jazz scene of the 70s – one that's very different than both the hard-driving fusion of the time, and some of the more free jazz-styled work from the avant garde! There's a lean lineup here – a group that features a variety of flutes from leader Dieter Bihlmaier, mixed with the bass of Jan Jankeje and drums and percussion of Gerhard Ziegler – plus added vibes from Gerhard Dietz on the second half of the record, which really helps the sound take off. Overall, there's almost a style that's in the more experimental, spiritual side of the MPS/Saba world, with a similar care for the overall sound and conception of the set – on titles that include "Arco Oriental", "Roulette", "Ovation", "Maskerade", "Polyp's Lullaby", and "Echoes". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare jazz gem from tenor saxophonist Fitz Gore – originally issued on the Gorbra label in Germany in a very tiny quantity! The record's a bit unlike anything else of the time – spiritual jazz, certainly, but with all these different approaches that vary from track to track, as does the lineup – really showing a richness that leaves us breathless once the record is done! Gore's got this nicely edgey tone on the tenor – a tendency to maybe craft the occasional angles you might hear from an alto, but with a deeper sound overall – and other players on the record include Ulrich Gore on piano, Gerhard Ebbo on bass, and Phillipe Zobda Quitman on drums – although one track has gamelan, another has vibes, and another has congas – all of which makes for a nice shift in flavors! At times, Fitz has this slow-burning quality, at others he almost echoes a Coltrane ballads mode, and at one point he sings a bit – really surprising us with his mellifluous voice. Titles include "Steal Away", "Requiem For Julian Cannonball Adderley", "Delilah", and "A Sinner Kissed An Angel" – most nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

Herrmann compositions performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Charles Gerhardt. CD

Later recording, from the 70s, performed by Charles Gerhardt and the National Philharmonic Orchestra. CD

Musical themes from classic Bogart flicks, including Treasure Of Sierra Madre, Key Largo, The Big Sleep, Sabrina, and To Have And Have Not, plus an extended suite from Casablanca – performed by Charles Gerhardt and The National Philharmonic Orchestra CD

A collection of Schubert Lieder recordings through the ages – featuring 64 performers that include Edith Clegg, Marie Goetz, Edyth Walker, Lilli Lehmann, Harry Plunket-Greene, Leo Sibriakov, Elena Gerhardt, Sir George Herschel, Richard Tauber, Vanni Marcoux, Hans Duhan, Lotte Lehmann, Charles Panzera, Elisabeth Schumann, Karl Erb, Ria Ginster, Herbert Janssen, Susan Metcalf-Casals, Elisabeth Schwartzkopf, Hans Hotter, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Kirsten Flagstad, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album