This four-disc hybrid SACD set presents the complete works for piano and violin of Ludwig van Beethoven. The performers are the critically-acclaimed Dutch violinist Isabelle van Keuelen and the talented young compatriot, pianist Hannes Minnaar. This is very enjoyable performances and recording by two outstanding young artists.

Angela Hewitt turns her attention to the piano music of Emmanuel Chabrier. Chabrier was a sensitive soul, prone to weep on hearing a single chord of Wagner, yet he cultivated a gaiety and sense of joy that is clearly heard in his music. Chabrier’s most important works are for the piano. The ten contrasting and evocative Pièces pittoresques form the centrepiece of this recording, and were described by Poulenc as being “as important for French music as the preludes of Debussy”. The remaining works are charming and varied character pieces. All are played with style and affection by Angela Hewitt, who with her renowned warmth and communicative flair makes a very special case for this music.

Weber's piano music, once played by most pianists, has since suffered neglect and even the famous Invitation to the Dance is now more often heard in its orchestral form. Since he was a renowned pianist as well as a major composer, the neglect seems odd, particularly when other pianist composers such as Chopin and Liszt are at the centre of the concert repertory; but part of the trouble may lie in the difficulty of the music, reflecting his own huge hands and his tendency to write what the booklet-essay calls 'chords unplayable by others'. Jean-François Heisser, the French classical pianist, makes out a real case for this music, and his playing of the two sonatas is idiomatic and resourceful, even if one can't banish the feeling that Weber all too readily used the melodic and harmonic formulae of 18thcentury galanterie and simply dressed them up in 19th-century salon virtuosity.

Beck, Bogert & Appice were a rock supergroup and power trio formed by guitarist Jeff Beck and evolving from The Jeff Beck Group. The line up included bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, who were both previously in Vanilla Fudge and Cactus.

West of 5th is an exciting jazz recording that features pianist Hank Jones, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jimmy Cobb. Listeners are offered a unique opportunity to hear two esteemed veterans playing with a stellar young musician. Jones and Cobb first rose to fame performing with talents as diverse as Miles Davis, Coleman Hawkins and others.

An outstanding, jazz funk groove album. Just let the old's cool sounds of Maceo's alto sax send your body to the happy land where time forgot. Nothing on earth compares to a live evening epic with Maceo's super tight band of brothers. But be advised his new release titled Schools In! on BHM Records is undoubtedly the next best thing to being with the funk maestro in person.

True Audiophile: Best of Groove Note is basically a fancy name for the Super Audio CD label sampler. Groove Note Records began releasing jazz and blues recordings in 2005. They've also expanded their vision and have begun to re-release rare tracks by vintage artists and look to genre-bending vocalists in order to showcase excellent music coming from the jazz and blues traditions.

In 1979 Art Pepper was recorded at two sessions that yielded two fine albums, So In Love and the New York Album. There was more first-rate material recorded in those two sessions than would fit on two LPs so difficult choices had to be made as to what material not to include on the albums released at the time. Those choices were not necessarily made on the basis of the quality of the performances but with respect to such considerations as length and congruence of repertoire within an album.

New York Album is an album by saxophonist Art Pepper recorded in 1979 at the sessions that produced So in Love but not released on the Galaxy label until 1985. This classic lineup features Art Pepper on alto sax, Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Al Foster on drums.

I Want You sees Vanessa Fernandez return to the '70s R&B classics and modern soul catalog that was delivered so very well on "Use Me" but with the addition of more recent hits from the likes of Radiohead and Amy Winehouse. Her third session for Groove Note features a collection of classic and old school soul and R&B classics with more recent songs included in the mix. Fernandez covers artists that include Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Gloria Gayner, Amy Winehouse, Hall & Oates, Radiohead and more!

Vanessa Mary Fernandez is a singer and radio presenter from Singapore. She released several albums with the now defunct hip-hop groups, Urban Xchange and Parking Lot Pimp and is now more popularly known by her moniker, Vandetta on Mediacorp Radio's 987FM. On this album Vanessa Fernandez covers Led Zeppelin tunes in “unplugged” acoustic arrangements. The recording is 100% pure analog engineered by Michael C. Ross at United Recordings (the former Ocean Way), one of the world's top recording venues. Players on the set include Use Me guitarist/arranger Tim Pierce, Jim Keltner on drums, ex-Jane's Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, percussionist Luis Conte (James Taylor, Santana, Eric Clapton, Al Di Meola) and keyboardist Jim Cox (Mark Knopfler, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss).

The Nightfly is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Donald Fagen. Fagen was previously best known for his work in the group Steely Dan, with whom he enjoyed a successful career in the 1970s. The band separated in 1981, leading Fagen to pursue a solo career. Although The Nightfly includes a number of production staff and musicians who had played on Steely Dan records, it was Fagen's first release without longtime collaborator Walter Becker.

The idea here was to put two masters together - one classical cellist, one improvisational singer/sound-effects performer - and voilà! instant amazing, unique, hip - and, hopefully, hit - record. The intriguing setup was to see what would happen when each led the other through the unfamiliar territory of his own specialty. The success of this recording lies not so much in the music or even in the overall performances, but in the fascinating and fun opportunity to sit in on the musicians' good-natured, respectful give-and-take, to witness an uncommon form of artistic chemistry that allows each performer to expand his vision and even his technique. On one hand we get Bobby McFerrin's impressionistic, improvisatory jazz/pop; on the other we enjoy Yo-Yo Ma's highly refined, formalized musicianship.

From their sold-out concert at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall, legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer, along with special guests James Taylor and Alison Krauss, perform works from the trio's acclaimed albums that span many musical genres.