Édith Piaf is almost universally regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Still revered as an icon decades after her death, "The Sparrow" served as a touchstone for virtually every chansonnier, male or female, who followed her. Her greatest strength wasn't so much her technique, or the purity of her voice, but the raw, passionate power of her singing. (Given her extraordinarily petite size, audiences marveled all the more at the force of her vocals.) Her style epitomized that of the classic French chanson: highly emotional, even melodramatic, with a wide, rapid vibrato that wrung every last drop of sentiment from a lyric. She preferred melancholy, mournful material, singing about heartache, tragedy, poverty, and the harsh reality of life on the streets; much of it was based to some degree on her real-life experiences, written specifically for her by an ever-shifting cast of songwriters.

The great voice of African reggae offers us his first acoustic album. He reinvents his greatest hits (Tonton d"America, Africain à Paris, Plus rien ne m"étonne, Ça va faire mal…), and invites a host of French and international artists to join him (Bernard Lavilliers, Chico César, Naâman, Horace Andy, -M-, Tiggs Da Author…). A must-have in his discography!

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kirill Karabits, joined by an outstanding cast led by Corinne Winters, present the world premiere recording of Thomas de Hartmann’s lost opera Esther. Often written by candlelight during the Nazi occupation of Paris, Esther was composed as de Hartmann—a non-Jewish Ukrainian expatriate—lived through the unfolding horrors of the Holocaust. He perceived profound parallels between those events and the Biblical story of Esther as dramatized in Jean Racine’s play, from whose text he adapted the libretto. Esther is perhaps the only major musical work composed contemporaneously as a direct artistic response to the Holocaust.

With "Mosaïque", the Gypsy guitar, strong of its roots, explores new horizons: two trios, two universes, one guitar, and a musical journey that combines tradition, modernity and virtuosity.

Laurence Castera presents his new album "Les choses qui nous liaient." An introspective artist with a slightly raspy voice, Laurence Castera offers a folk sound with rock roots that unfolds as he reveals the doubts within him.

Charles Trenet, the "Singing Fool", composed almost 1,000 songs, acting as author, composer and performer of his own repertoire.

For over two decades, Dub Inc has been a cornerstone of the French-speaking reggae scene, embodying both power and authenticity. Hailing from Saint-Étienne, the band has built a strong identity, whether on stage or through their productions, always driven by the will to deliver meaningful messages that resonate far beyond borders. Dub Inc now returns with their new project Atlas, the result of a full year of creation at their new Greenlab Studio. Writing and composing went hand in hand, guided by powerful themes and a constant awareness of today's world. To enrich this record, the band invited three renowned artists: L'Entourloop, Kabaka Pyramid, and Marcus Gad. The result is an explosive fusion of reggae, world, and urban sounds - a 9th album that stays true to Dub Inc's DNA while opening new musical horizons.

Laurindo Almeida (1917–1995) was a pioneering Brazilian guitarist, composer, and five-time Grammy winner who bridged classical, jazz, and Latin music, often credited with helping create the bossa nova genre. Moving to Los Angeles in 1947, he was a key figure in Stan Kenton’s orchestra and a renowned studio musician.

Golden Memories Reborn is a digital music compilation album by the legendary French-Italian singer Dalida, released as part of a series of reissues of classic hits.

During the darkest of the lockdowns, I took my daughter to an open field near our home. In a time when the world felt shuttered and small, walking was our only escape from the suffocating stillness. As we reached the field, a sudden sensation washed over me–a quiet awakening.

‘So Romantique !’ illustrates the ‘profoundly sentimental’ side of French opera from the 1830s to the 1900s, which gradually came to be judged overwrought and was condemned to partial oblivion. ‘I am convinced that this is because the principals of interpretation were lost’, says the tenor Cyrille Dubois.

After exploring lesser-known works for light lyric tenor from the opéra-comique repertoire with the multi-award-winning So Romantique ! (ALPHA924), this new recording focuses on a unique genre: French mélodie with orchestra. "Deeply attuned to the chamber dimension of music, I was naturally drawn to this form, which is rarely programmed today. Attention to tone colour is essential here, particularly in the interpretation of such brief pieces, an exercise at the very heart of my approach as a mélodiste," says Dubois. Designed by the researchers and editors of the Palazzetto Bru Zane, this programme allows us to rediscover lost treasures of French heritage: refinement, the art of suggestion, delicacy, nobility of expression – everything here is so poetic!

Grégory Privat is among the finest pianists in Europe and of his generation. A singer-songwriter with an extraordinary career, he meticulously and energetically explores a repertoire dedicated to his audience. In his new album, DARLING, he fuses elegant jazz with sonic influences from Martinique: Creole rhythms, sophisticated harmonies, and tender love lyrics. Intimate and ethereal, "Darling" showcases Grégory's pianistic touch while inviting the listener on a sensual journey where tradition and modernity meet.

Velvet Passport is a studio album by the famous Italian-French singer Caterina Valente.
Although Caterina Valente has recorded over 1,350 albums in her career, Velvet Passport stands out for its international sound. It includes compositions in different languages, demonstrating her unique ability to sing in 13 languages and work in various genres — from jazz to bossa nova and pop music.

Blue Raindrop is an album and eponymous composition by the grand orchestra conducted by Paul Mauriat, released in 1979 specifically for the Japanese market.