There were over two dozen releases to listen to for New in Music This Week: August 7th. Having combed through them, I’ve selected eight that truly stood out. Plus I’m introducing Quick Hits for albums that I believe warrant your attention that just missed being selected for full reviews.
My top pick this week is:
JAZZ ADJACENT: PIAZZOLLA WHISKY – Duettango – Big Round Records
This energetic yet intimate album of Astor Piazzolla’s music is a delight and a revelation.
Take for instance, pianist Filippo Arlia’s playing on Adiós Nonino. Completely sublime and he has a three minute plus solo to open the track. That is later matched by the expressive playing of the violin by Andrea Timpanaro. Stunningly beautiful is the only way to describe this track.
This is a massively enjoyable and impressive album. Arlia’s partner in Duettango is bandoneon player Cesare Chiacchiaretta who is equally talented.
In addition to Timpanaro, they are joined by Marco Acquarelli on electric guitar; Antonio De Luise on bass guitar; Filippo Garruba on keyboards and Glauco Di Sabatino on drums.
Piazzolla Whisky is one of the clearest and most impressive recordings of Piazzolla’s music I’ve heard in years.
Here are the other fine recordings that are New in Music This Week: August 7th:
CLASSICAL: SOLER! – Gerardo Teissonnière – Steinway & Sons
Pianist Teissonnière has released the finest collection of sonatas by Spanish composer Antonio Soler I’ve heard since Alicia de Larrocha’s legendary recordings.
Soler composed music in the late 18th century. 10 of Soler’s over 150 keyboard sonatas are featured here.
Teissonnière’s playing is precise throughout. He’s also passion about this music. Soler! Is far from merely a technical album. It’s an emotive and wisely curated selections of Soler’s work.
Particular highlights are the Sonata in D Minor, R. 24 and the Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, R. 85.
If you don’t know Soler’s music, Teissonnière’s album is a very fine introduction.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: PAPER PIANOS – Mary Kouyoumdjian / Nigel Maister / Alarm Will Sound – Cantaloupe Music
The plight of refugees remains a constant in our news cycles, but usually just from the perspective of them as illegal invaders. Just take a look at what happened this week in Ceuta.
Paper Pianos was a finalist in 2024 for the Pulitzer Prize in music. The work was inspired by the story of Milad Yousufi who grew up in Kabul when music was forbidden. He drew out a keyboard on paper so he could learn how to play – even though there was no actual music being played except what he heard in his imagination.
Composer Kouyoumdjian and writer Maister expanded this work by doing interviews with Milad and three resettlement works who were all refugees themselves.
The end result is a moving and powerful work that combines those interviews with her music. I can’t imagine anyone listening to this and not being moved by their stories, the music and how it all comes together.
Alarm Will Sound, not surprisingly, play this music perfectly.
If you’d like to read my 2024 interview with Kouyoumdjian, please go HERE.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: RHYTHM NATION – PUBLIQUARTET – Avie Records
When I first read about this album and saw the album art, I was curious if this was going to find the string quartet playing arrangements of songs from Janet Jackson’s 1989 album.
They don’t. But…there are three remixes using Jackson’s recordings supplemented with PUBLIQuaret playing their additions to those tracks.
What impressed me most about this album was the wide range of music being performed. From Duke Ellington to Daniel Bernard Roumain to Henry Threadgill.
There are also four works they commissioned: Jlin’s Baobab, Jeff Scott’s Blues for Buddy, Mazz Swift’s Digging Gold; Deeper Blue and Eddie Venegas’s Cachumbambeando En Clave. All four are definitely worthy of your attention.
PUBLIQuartet are Hamilton Berry on cello, Jannina Norpoth on violin, Nick Revel on viola and Curtis Stewart on violin.
This is a diverse, challenging and compelling album.
JAZZ: P.S. MR. BENNETT – John Pizzarelli – Green Hill Productions
This five-song EP surprised me from the opening track. Pizzarelli’s take on Rags to Riches immediately impressed me. Between the tempo change (slower than Bennett’s classic recording) and the chord progressions, this is a track I’ll listen to regularly.
The other highlights are Solitude and I Wanna Be Around.
All five songs were part of the same recording session for his Dear Mr. Bennett album that was released in March.
Mike Karn plays bass and Isaiah J. Thompson plays piano.
You can read my 2019 interview with John Pizzarelli HERE.
JAZZ: FOR ALL YOUR FLOWERS – Skúli Sverrisson with Bill Frisell – Newvelle Records
Bassist/composer Sverrisson and guitarist Frisell teamed up for 2018’s Strata. DownBeat Magazine said that it sounded like the two musicians “were made to together, combining exceptional harmonic depth and simpatico counterpoint.”
They were meant to play together and now we have the stunningly sublime For All Your Flowers. The ten tracks here (nine of which were composed by Sverrisson) works as an invitation to a quieter, more meditative and open world than the one we live in.
I’ve listened to For All Your Flowers several times. It’s effect on me was immediate and never let up for the album’s 37 minutes.
Sverrisson and Frisell play with an intimacy and respect that is palpable. These two respect each other, listen to one another and leave space for each artist to shine. The result is a gorgeous album that makes the argument that these two fine musicians are creating and performing music at the highest level.
JAZZ: SONOLUMINESCENCE VOL. 1 – Zaccai – TRR collective
Growing up in the 1970s, I immediately recognized the jazz and funk grooves that Zaccai Curtis recalls on this wildly enjoyable new album.
Curtis, who plays piano, Rhodes, keyboards and sings, wrote all eight songs. He also throws in snippets of other works throughout to see how closely you’re listening.
For instance, in the opening track, Joust, he plays a quick bit of Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite.
Joining Curtis on the album as his core band are Joe Dyson on drums, Brevan Hampden on congas and percussion and Craig Handy on tenor sax and flute. Mike Boone and Luques Curtis each play bass on four of the tracks. Vocalist Julie Acosta and guitarist Aurelien Budynek guest on individual tracks.
From the opening minute through to the album’s conclusion 65 minutes later, I felt like I was in a time machine that had found a contemporary way forward. It is a fun and entertaining ride. Bring on volume 2.
OPERA: BREAKING THE WAVES – Missy Mazzoli / Royce Vavrek / Lauren Snouffer / Ryan McKinny / Houston Grand Opera / Patrick Summers – Houston Grand Opera
Lars von Trier’s 1996 is the inspiration for this opera by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek. The opera had its world premiere in 2016 at Opera Philadelphia and was commissioned by them along with Beth Morrison Projects.
This album from Houston Grand Opera was recorded live during their 2025 production.
Lauren Snouffer sings the role of Bess who marries her sweetheart Jan (Ryan McKinny) who is an oil-rigger. He must go back to work shortly after their marriage (and after making love to Bess for her first time). While at work, he saves a friend, but in the process, suffers brain trauma.
She learns he will be paralyzed for the rest of his life. He encourages her to have sex with other men and then tell him about it afterwards. He believes this will encourage him to stay alive.
She’s reluctant to do so. But opts to keep her husband alive. But there are consequences neither of them could predict.
Mazzoli and Vavrek’s opera is considered one of the best of the 21st century. Listening to this stunning recording, I can understand why.
Long a fan of their collaborations, Breaking the Waves may be their masterwork. The music is compelling. The libretto is lean and focused. The tragedy of Bess and Jan’s lives are fully realized in their work.
Supported by stellar performances by Snouffer and McKinny, this is a must-have for fans of contemporary opera.
QUICK HITS:
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: Virtuosity – Stephen Michael Gryč / Royal Scottish National Orchestra -Navona Records
I’ve never heard the music of composer Gryč before and this is a great introduction to it.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: Strange Loops – Mark van de Wiel / Soloists of the Philharmonia Orchestra – Signum Classics
I greatly admire the work of composer Anna Clyne and her Strange Loops opens this album. It’s a fascinating work. Ruth Gipps’ Rhapsody for Clarinet & String Quartet in E-Flat Major gets a fine performance.
VINYL REISSUES:
JAZZ: VERTIGO – Jackie McLean – Blue Note Tone Poet Vinyl Series
Though not released until 1980, this album by alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was recorded in 1962 and 1963. One track, Formidable, was recorded in 1959.
The six tracks are Marney (Donald Byrd and Bernard Herrmann); Dusty Foot (Byrd), Formidable (Walter Davis, Jr.), Vertigo (McLean), Cheers (McLean) and Yams (Herbie Hancock).
For all but Formidable the line-up was Doanld Byrd on trumpet, Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass and Tony Williams on drums.
On Formidable the line-up was Byrd on trumpet, Walter Davis Jr. on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums.
This fine album varies from slow blues to funk to hard bop and post-bop.
JAZZ: BOSSA NOVA SOUL SAMBA – Ike Quebec – Blue Note Tone Poet Vinyl Series
Tenor saxophonist/composer Quebec’s album was released just three months before he passed away at the age of 44. Bossa Nova Soul Samba finds Quebec riding the wave of Bossa nova’s popularity that began in the early 60s.
This album was recorded in October of 1962 and features two original tracks (Me ‘n You and Blue Samba) along with tracks by Kenny Burrell (Loie), Antonín Dvořák (Goin’ Home), Franz Liszt (Liebesträume) and more. There are nine total tracks.
Joining Quebec were Willie Bobo on drums, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Wendell Marshall on bass and Garvin Masseaux on chekere.
This is a lightly swinging bossa nova album.
OPERA: DIE WALKÜRE – Régine Crespin / Gundula Janowitz / Thomas Stewart / Martti Talvela / Josephine Veasey / Jon Vickers / Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan – Deutsche Grammophon The Original Source Series – 5LP Box Set
Recorded in 1966, Herbert von Karajan’s recording of Wagner’s was released in 1967. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording.
Crespin sings Brünnhilde. Janowitz sings Sieglinde. Stewart sings Wotan. Talvela sings Hunding. Veasey sings Fricka. Vickers sings the role of Siegmund.
Critics mostly embraced this recording upon its original release. But you know how it is with Wagner; you can’t please everyone ever.
This is a strong recording and Vickers makes for an impressive Siegmund.
All of von Karajan’s Ring Cycle recordings are being released as part of this series. Das Rheingold was released in a 3LP Box Set in April.
That’s all for New in Music This Week: August 7th.
Enjoy the music!
Enjoy your weekend!
Main Photo: Part of the album art for Sonoluminescence Vol. 1 by Zaccai Curtis (Courtesy TRR collective)