‘The House’ is British singer-songwriter Katie Melua’s fourth studio LP, and her first without input from long time producer Mike Batt. The album features production instead from William Orbit, most famous for his work with Blur and Madonna, as well as his numerous dance remixes. ‘The House’ includes single ‘The Flood’, which was written with assistance from Robbie Williams collaborator Guy Chambers.

With her upcoming release, scheduled for March 22, she goes the extra mile with an all-French album entitled Raconte-moi… (Tell Me) Here, Kent revisits great classics of the French musical heritage with songs by Barbara, Paul Misraki, Georges Moustaki, Henri Salvador, Michel Jonasz, Keren Ann and Benjamin Biolay, and also showcases original work by talented young songwriters like Claire Denamur, Camille D'Avril (who collaborated with Jim Tomlinson on one title) Pierre-Dominique Burgaud and Emilie Satt, whose "La Venus du melo" is the debut single.

Chet's vocal work of the eighties is certainly an acquired taste. If it's not your bag, then avoid this CD. If you like his later vocal work, then this hard-to-find recording is a pleasant surprise. Although Chet whispers through many of the songs, he doesn't mumble, and his tone is usually clear and he's on-key. It also doesn't hurt to have excellent sidemen, with Michel Graillier doing some nice things on My Funny Valentine. Some real gems on this CD include a rare vocal version of his standard Alone Together and a heart-felt rendition of Someone To Watch Over Me. This isn't a ground-breaking recording for Chet, but it has a nice, intimate feeling to it.

This high-quality outing (reissued on CD) features composer Michel Legrand faring quite well as a jazz pianist. He performs six of his compositions (only "Pieces of Dream" is well-known) with a lyrical septet also including altoist Phil Woods (doubling on clarinet), tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, trumpeter Joe Wilder, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate. The music generally swings, has plenty of fine melodic solos, and gives listeners a taste of some fresh Legrand material.

Two pianos, a lot of the best boogie woogie and blues. Memphis Slim & Jean-Paul Amoroux play a wonderful disc, for all jazz and blues lovers.

An amazingly prolific artist who brought a brisk air of urban sophistication to his frequently stunning presentation, John "Peter" Chatman -better known as Memphis Slim- assuredly ranks with the greatest blues pianists of all time.

Jean-Paul Amoroux has been playing the piano professionally since 1973 after an earlier career in advertising. He possesses a sound musical background having won first prize in a major national piano competition at the age of ten. He is both an original performer of boogie woogie as well as being a serious student of its styles and history.

A day after he finished The Heart of the Ballad, Chet teams again with Pieranunzi and his trio. This was to be Chet's last studio recording, and it is a nice way to remember Chet. When he was in good shape, and he surrounded himself with excellent sidemen (both the case here), he was as capable of creating magic. A good example of this is the title cut. Chet's never really played it much after his famous 1957 vocal and instrumental recording of the tune. He revives it one last time and gives one of the best vocal performances of his last years.

This release offers a unique glimpse of a young Chet Baker in a quintet setting, complemented by a nine-piece string section. Utilizing the uniquely modern arrangements of Johnny Mandel, Marty Paich, Jack Montrose, and Shorty Rogers, this interaction of "West Coast cool" with primordial elevator music escapes many – if not indeed all – of the potential sonic pitfalls such a marriage might suggest. In the truest sense of the word augmentation, the string arrangements provide the desired opulence sans the heavy-handed or syrupy residual effects. Perhaps most inspiring about this outing is the success with which Baker and crew are able to thrive in this environment, providing subtle insight into the quintet's ability to simultaneously adapt and explore. Chet Baker and Strings was recorded over three days in late 1953 and early 1954. Joining Baker (trumpet) on these sessions are Jack "Zoot" Sims (tenor sax), Jack Montrose (tenor sax), Russ Freeman (piano), Joe Mondragon (bass), Shelly Manne (drums), and Clifford "Bud" Shank (alto sax), who steps in for Sims on the 1954 date. "Love Walked In" incorporates a trademark volley of interaction between Baker and Sims. "Love" contains what is arguably the most successful implementation of the string section, as well as some stellar soloing by Freeman. In fact, his contributions to this particular recording rank among his finest with Baker and company. The same enthusiasm can likewise be applied to "A Little Duet for Zoot and Chet." Not only are Sims and Baker in top flight, but the string arrangement swings irresistibly as well. The easygoing and otherwise winding strings support the cool bop like a kite in a March breeze – light, airy, and conspicuous only in altitude. The 1998 CD reissue also includes three alternate performances, "You Don't Know What Love Is," "You Better Go Now," and an incendiary "A Little Duet for Zoot and Chet," all of which make their debut on this release.

A great Christmas recording!.

Jazzy enough and with enough lesser-played selections to be refreshing at Christmas but not so far out on the jazz scale as to be unrecognizable. The material is handled with subtlety and even a certain reverence. One of my Christmas favourites!

Tu trouveras… 10 ans de succès, est le titre de la première compilation de Natasha St-Pier qui
débute sa carrière internationale en 1999 alors qu'elle n'a que 18 ans. En cette période propice au
bilan, le best of de la chanteuse sort le 27 novembre et est l'occasion d'une tournée piano-voix.

Un an après Duos, Charles Aznavour ravit ses nombreux fans avec l’arrivée d’un nouvel album, Aznavour and Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Comme son nom l’indique, cet opus a été enregistré avec la participation du légendaire arrangeur contrebassiste John Clayton. Les deux artistes y reprennent 12 grands standards, dans la plus pure tradition du jazz orchestral américain.
Sortie le 27 novembre 2009.

Quoi de plus légitime pour Eddy Mitchell, chanteur mais aussi acteur, connu également comme Monsieur Dernière Séance, que de rendre hommage au cinéma ?
C'est un studio de Los Angeles, ville mythique du cinéma américain, qu'Eddy Mitchell a choisi pour enregistrer son nouvel album baptisé "Grand écran" dans lequel Monsieur Eddy reprend et réadapte seize grands titres du cinéma.
Parfois crooner, parfois rocker, Eddy Mitchell s'est entouré pour la production de Jay Newland (Norah Jones, Ayo…) et de son compère de toujours Pierre Papadiamandis. Il a même croisé la route du phénomène Melody Gardot pour un duo sur Over The Rainbow.

Le chanteur populaire Renaud fait son retour, avec un nouvel album studio baptisé Molly Malone-Balade irlandaise. Passionné de l'île britannique, il reprend ici de grands classiques irlandais adaptés en français. Molly Malone est l'hymne officieux de la ville de Dublin, narrant l'histoire d'une belle poissonnière qui travaillait dans les rues de la ville.
Molly Malone est composé de treize chansons dont le premier extrait est Vagabonds. Renaud avait déjà montré son affection pour l'Irlande à travers un single sorti en 1991 et baptisé La ballade nord-irlandaise.

Le double CD Dimanches à l'Elysée enregistré en grande partie lors du dernier concert d'Alain Bashung le 14 décembre 2008 est disponible depuis le 16 novembre 2009.

Quelques mois après une série d'Olympia et d'une tournée d'été légendaire, la résidence dominicale à L'Elysée Montmartre était devenu un rendez-vous serein. Une parenthèse dans son traitement. En attendant une résidence au Grand Rex qui n'est jamais venue. Plus de la moitié des titres de Dimanches à l'Elysée © est issue du concert du 14 décembre. Le soir où le rideau s'est tiré pour de bon, marquant la fin de la vie du chanteur Bashung. On dit que les grands artistes ne meurent jamais. Bashung n'est pas près d'y passer.

This hard-to-find CD gives us Chet in good shape, in good spirits, and with excellent sidemen. You know you're in for a treat, when you hear the opening lines of "Crystal Bells" with Baker's sweet lines floating above Catherine's ringing guitar. After swinging pretty on "Strollin'", Chet delivers one of his best performances of the J.J. Johnson standard, "Lament". Chet turns this sad tune into one of hope and happiness as his horn flutters through the melody, but still keeping the same traditional slow tempo…

"Leaving" is usually a tune that leaves me cold, it doesn't have a memorable melody. However, Chet punches it up here, with a strong, staccato opening, eventually moving to long, brisk solos. He wraps up this set with a soft and fast "Cherokee" and ending with "Estate". This last tune is a great fit for Chet. I wish he had included it in his repertoire more often. Those long, low notes that open the tune just seem to be meant for him. ~ Chetbakertribute.com

"This new opus is more coladera than morna. Recorded by Nando Andrade and produced by José da Silva, “Nha Sentimento” conveys a deep emotion that never detracts from apparently light-hearted, but often seriously-motivated songs, whose joie de vivre repeatedly proves stronger than their sorrow, regret and desire. When this is not the case, the words convey an insular resignation that is very much a part of Cesaria, since she has so clearly experienced the things she sings about - on Vento de Sueste, for instance, a morna that conjures up feelings that have never left her. Cesaria's singing is closely entwined with the record's production and the work of the musicians accompanying her. In fact, she has put more into the recording process than ever here, working in close partnership with Nando. She is at her emotional peak, recapturing all the intensity and quality of her finest years. Although Cesaria has tended towards the catchiest of songs on this album, she has by no means turned her back on the musical style for which she became famous. The three mornas on the album - Vento de Sueste, Sentimento and Mam'Bia E So Mi - are enhanced by Egyptian string arrangements from Fathy Salama, who conducted the Cairo Orchestra. This natural partnership underlines the Arab roots claimed for morna, via Arab-Andalusian music, by musicologist Vasco Martins and writer Manuel de Novas."