#JazzSky #Jazz #NowPlaying I've posted my love of this album before followed by a tsunami of apathy. Still, here goes: It's as close to perfect as any duet album can get. Warren Vaché is on top form, his trumpet/flugelhorn a gorgeously elegant partner to Bill Charlap's usual masterclass. So there!

#JazzSky #Jazz #Music #NowPlaying Good grief, this is an album and a half. Every time I play it I pick up some detail I'd previously missed. Roy Hargrove is in superlative form, the record hits every shade from elegant to ferocious. Jazz, life affirming in every crotchet.

An under the radar masterpiece. Written by Paul Kennerly and featuring an array of Country/Bluegrass musicians, including Waylon and Emmylou.

#JazzSky #Jazz #MusicSky Norwegian jazz singer Silje Nergaard is something of a favourite of mine. She's collaborated with an A list of musicians including Pat Metheny, Tord Gustavson and Vince Mendoza. These are two excellent examples of her catalogue.

Every time.

As close to perfection as any album can come . . .

This one is still number one for me:

#BookSky #Books This is not just a masterclass in storytelling but a moving study of the controlling power of memory. Friendship, love and the quest for redemption unroll over 700 pages. Anyone who tries to write coherently will be awed by Ms Yanagihara's skill.

#TV #FrenchLife #FranceSky We're very much enjoying "L'Été 36" on Netflix. An intriguing and extremely lavish production set in the city of Nice just before WW2. An exemplary cast play out a murder mystery with great performances all round.

#Jazz #BigBandJazz #JazzSky Vince Mendoza voices his bands with a particular warmth and power. This is a favourite, the WDR Big Band plus the great Peter Erskine on drums. It opens with Miles' "All Blues".

In that case I would recommend this elegant album.

A master class in interpretation, technical skill and all round brilliantness. The greatest popular singer of them all.

#Jazz #JazzSky #NowPlaying This album combines the quintessentially French accordion of Richard Galliano with the maestro Charlie Haden's supernatural ability to adapt, absorb and complement everyone he played with. A joyous record.

#SingerSongwriter #MusicSky Shawn Colvin is among the most talented songwriters of her generation. These three albums in particular are absolute corkers, not a weak track or filler among them.

Ditto. Bon Weekend. 👍🏻

#JazzSky #Jazz #MusicSky #NowPlaying 'Jazz with strings' albums can be unsatisfying although Stan Getz ("Focus") and Art Pepper ("Winter Moon") made exceptions. The Swiss flugelhorn master Franco Ambrosetti has made two beauties, both featuring John Scofield, Peter Erskine and Alan Broadbent.

#NowPlaying #RockSky #Music #70sRock After Free, Paul Kossoff formed Back Street Crawler. Following his early death the band shortened their name and with new guitarist Geoff Whitehorn released this excellent album in 1977. It's a favourite of mine, one of those solid records, always pleasurable.

#JazzSky #Jazz #Jazz #JazzMusic #JazzSky A real late night gem. Billy May, Gerry Mulligan, Shelly Manne, an exquisite duet with Sarah Vaughan, another with Mel Tormé. Possibly more important to Barry Manilow than to his regular audience, the album was said to have been recorded in a single take.

Acoustic guitar, handclaps and incessantly smiling at Ms Ronstadt.

#JazzSky #Jazz #NowPlaying #StaceyKent Sung entirely in French, a superbly (and typically) elegant album from Ms Kent. I've seen her in concert several times, most recently in Bordeaux a few years ago. Always a class act in partnership with husband the brilliant Jim Tomlinson.