Reviews

Short stories - Fabled: CD

This review was published on: 27 Feb 2019

Fabled is a quintet led by saxophonist, clarinettist and composer Sam Rapley. This CD follows the earlier success of an EP eponymously entitled Fabled. I found Short Stories to be one of the most i [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Fantasy Studies: Petra Stump-Linshalm: CD

This review was published on: 27 Jan 2019

Fantasy Studies, by the Austrian clarinettist Petra Stump-Linshalm, is an album of new music for winds and cello, with the clarinet family as focal point. Stump-Linshalm is an established performer [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album: CD

This review was published on: 1 Dec 2018

On 7 June 2018 the New York Times announced it, and on 22 June the (UK) Times did the same. They both carried illustrated leading articles in their arts sections publicising the release of this CD [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

A Week in Plasencia: for clarinet quartet

This review was published on: 31 Oct 2018

Mike Curtis already has a number of clarinet quartets to his name taking inspiration from all styles – classical to jazz, Latin and other world styles. A Week in Plasencia was inspired by a v [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

Saxophila: CD

This review was published on: 3 Oct 2018

Want to listen to a few old classics, nicely arranged for sax quartet, safe in the knowledge that you’ll come awayhumming the tune? Well this definitely is not the disc for you! This is [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Clarinet Fantasies: Nadia Wilson and Martin Butler: CD

This review was published on: 27 Aug 2018

It was from a wish to record a piece by Martin Butler, composed several decades ago when the composer was just 17, that the idea for the CD was formed. Barlow Dale: Four Characteristic Pieces is a [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Improve your sight reading: for saxophone

This review was published on: 30 Jul 2018

The Improve Your Sight-Reading books will already be familiar to most teachers of clarinet, but here is a new edition for saxophone, covering Grades 1 to 5. This edition has been redesigned to supp [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

Portraits : McGill/McHale Trio: CD

This review was published on: 20 Jun 2018

Anthony McGill may already be known to some readers as principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic. He is joined by his brother, flautist Demarre McGill, principal of Seattle Symphony Orchestra [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Utópico - Quatuor Yendo: CD

This review was published on: 1 Jun 2018

Utópico means utopian, which means someone who aspires to a state of Utopia, which means a place where everything is perfect… Enough definitions. I felt like I was in Utopia listening [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

30 Jazz Influenced Studies for Clarinet Grades 3-5 : for solo clarinet

This review was published on: 1 May 2018

30 Jazz Influenced Studies for Clarinet Grades 3-5 Tom Jackson - 360 Music This is a lovely collect [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

A Touch of Britain - Anna Hashimoto: CD

This review was published on: 31 Mar 2018

Opening this disc made me smile. Hashimoto clearly had an influence over the cheery cover design, which includes numerous stereotypical British images from a corgi to a cup of tea and even a Union [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Ruby & All Things Purple - Andy Scott and Group S: CD

This review was published on: 4 Mar 2018

Andy Scott and Group SBasho Records How about an economical 17-word review? ‘Master saxophonist writes for 10 great saxophonists to play for an [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Compassion - The music of John Coltrane: CD

This review was published on: 3 Feb 2018

This 53-minute CD, having been recorded in 2007 in New York City by two masterful tenor technicians and ‘Trane acolytes, was only released in 2017 as a tribute to Coltrane’s relevance 5 [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Final Whistle!: for alto saxophone and piano

This review was published on: 14 Jan 2018

12 set pieces for saxophone and piano Chris Gumbley, Alan Bullard and Karen StreetGumbles Publications Those in the saxophone fraternity [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

Marici Saxes - Light: CD

This review was published on: 18 Dec 2017

Stylish, sleek, sophisticated… and that’s just the album cover. With a photo shoot that wouldn’t be out of place on the cover of Vogue, Marici Saxes’ debut CD, Light, featu [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Bernhard Crusell: Three quartets for clarinet and strings: CD

This review was published on: 16 Sep 2017

Erich Hoeprich and members of the London Haydn Quartet Glossa Crusell’s three quartets for clarinet and strings were written ove [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

25 Piazzolla tangos: for alto saxophone and piano

This review was published on: 17 Jun 2017

The Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla is famous for his distinctive style of tango music, and this is a collection of 25 of his huge output of works. They have been adapted from arrangements by [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

French clarinet exports - Béatrice Berne and Jean-Marc Fessard: CD

This review was published on: 12 Mar 2017

I cheer up every time a Clarinet & Saxophone Classics puts out a new release. The label’s output is unashamedly specialised, and it’s reassuring that such niche pursuits are still g [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Flying Solo - Janet Hilton (clarinet): CD

This review was published on: 10 Dec 2016

This new recording by Janet Hilton is truly a marathon of unaccompanied clarinet performance. The latest release from the Clarinet & Saxophone Classics label, it’s an epic collection of w [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

British Clarinet Concertos Volume 2: CD

This review was published on: 13 Sep 2016

I’ve read a couple of reviews of this disc that start with remarks along the lines of ‘who knew there were enough British clarinet concertos to fill one volume, let alone two?’ We [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Chick Corea Children's songs: Saxophone quartet

This review was published on: 22 Aug 2016

This is a very interesting and often challenging edition to the sax quartet repertoire. Rob Buckland has purposefully arranged the movements in the order the Apollo Sax quartet performs them (13 mi [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

John Adams Saxophone Concerto: Compact Disc

This review was published on: 9 Jul 2016

Mozart had Anton Stadler as inspiration for his major clarinet works, and John Adams it seems has saxophonist Timothy McAllister, for whom he has recently written a major concerto. This is big news [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Your Guide to the Best Music Apps: for iPhone, iPad and Android

This review was published on: 30 Oct 2015

Review first published in Clarinet & Saxophone magazine, summer 2015. All information accurate at the time of writing. The best camera, so the saying goes, is the one that& [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Accessories

Svapna, for alto saxophone and marimba : by Bertrand Dubedout

This review was published on: 1 Mar 2015

At 10 minutes long it’s really hard to know what to make of this one. When faced with Svapna’s obvious modernity it is easy to dismiss it as strictly for a saxophone congress at 9am on [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

Catch Me if you Can by Amy Dickson: Sony Classical

This review was published on: 31 Jan 2015

Amy Dickson – saxophone Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Benjamin Northey – conductor Sony Classical 8843027202Review by William Upton [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia Live ‘05: Theaterhaus Stuttgart, 15th November 2005

This review was published on: 31 Jan 2015

Barbara Thompson Paraphernalia Live ’05 (DVD)TMDVD0611 [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Selmer Concept: alto saxophone mouthpiece

This review was published on: 31 Jan 2015

Review by William Upton You can spend as much as you like on an instrument, but unless you get the mouthpiece right, you won’t be getting a good return from your investment. It is no [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Accessories

John Packer JP245 Alto Saxophone Review: John Packer JP245 Alto Saxophone

This review was published on: 1 Jul 2014

Saxophones such as John Packer’s middle of the range JP245 alto are pushing the likes of Selmer, Yamaha and Yanigasawa to justify the extra expense at the top end of the market. From t [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Instruments

Pro Case 'Pro Pac' contoured alto saxophone case: Pro Case 'Pro Pac' contoured alto saxophone case

This review was published on: 30 May 2014

There are two types of saxophonist – those who have forgotten to fasten their cases, sending valuable instruments on horizontal trajectories, and those who are going to do this. Admittedly al [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Accessories

Balkan Clarinet Duets: Hidan Mamudov, Universal Edition, £9.95

This review was published on: 17 Dec 2013

This collection of 10 clarinet duets is part of Universal Edition's World Music series. The 21st century clarinettist should be aware of the diverse background of the clarinet outside the Eur [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

Seductive Sax: Joe Leader, www.joeleader.com £7.49

This review was published on: 17 Dec 2013

This CD, recorded live at The Pheasantry Jazz Club in London last year, is an un-ashamedly “pop” production featuring Joe with a support group (electric guitar, electric bass, a battery [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Anton Reicha, Woodwind Quintets Volume 1: opus 88. nos. 1&2 : Westwood Wind Quintet, Crystal Records CD261

This review was published on: 17 Dec 2013

If you already have the preceding eleven CD’s of the Westwood Quintet’s complete Reicha set, you will probably want this one, which features the first two of his 24 compositions for thi [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Four Pieces: David Lampel, Clarinet and piano, Gerard Billaudot, £7.95

This review was published on: 16 Dec 2013

Swedish composer David Lampel now spends his time between Sweden and France. Number one is a fiery little number with clarinet and piano alternating dissonant ideas like a cat-and-mouse chas [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Sheet Music

The Saxophone: Stephen Cottrell, Yale University Press, Hardback £25.00

This review was published on: 16 Dec 2013

Professor Cottrell has produced an extremely fine study of our beloved instrument – profusely illustrated (no less than 120 photos, diagrams and archive images plus 22 score excerpts), well a [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Books

Jupiter JCL 637: Student Clarinet

This review was published on: 23 Nov 2013

The Jupiter 631 Clarinet has been available in the UK for the past 10 years, and although the well established B12 and YCL 250 continue to have a significant market share both in education bulk pur [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: Instruments

Clarinet Concertos by Gottfried Hendrik Mann: Osnabrücker Symphonieorchester, Hermann Bäumer, CPO 777 620-2, £12.75

This review was published on: 22 Nov 2013

Clarinet concerto op 90. Violin concerto op 101. Festpräludium op 95. Troisième suite op 98. Sebastian Manz (clarinet) Akiko Yamada (violin) The late 19th century wa [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Four Views: Hainault Records HNT0014 price not quoted

This review was published on: 22 Nov 2013

Mick Foster (baritone/C-melody sax), Dominic Ashworth (guitars), Tom Farmer (double bass) and Tristan Mailliot (drums)This is the third CD Mick has released through Hainault Records and is av [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Gameshow: Saxophone Concertos

This review was published on: 22 Nov 2013

Sospiro Records, SOSRB1000112, £11.75Rob Buckland with the RNCM Wind OrchestraConducted by Mark Heron and Clark Rundell with special guest John Harle Review by Ken Morri [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

Dusk and Dawn by Amy Dickson: Sony

This review was published on: 22 Nov 2013

Sony Music Classical, £11.50Amy Dickson (soprano and alto saxophone)Review by Ken Morris I have to say that this new release from the Australian born/London R [ ... ]

This review was posted under the category: CDs

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