Mary Ellen Childs (b. 1957) has been acclaimed for creating both rhythmic, exuberant instrumental works and bold, kinetic compositions that integrate music, dance and theater in fresh and unexpected ways. Dream House lives in the same land that the New York string quartet Ethel has been exploring in recent years, a frontier where modern classical and alternative rock meet and mingle. One could note Childs’ apparent influence on the players in Ethel in some of their own compositions on the recent album , particularly first violinist Cornelius Dufallo’s “Lighthouse.” Like that album, Dream House strikes a balance between accessibility and challenge, sounding utterly of its time without having an expiration date stamped on its side. This is music that has potential appeal for both the open-minded classical listener and the rock music fan who enjoys the daring edge. -- www.musicweb-international.com

With "Reimagining," his first album for Savoy Jazz, pianist Vijay Iyer moves on up in terms of visibility – and in terms of accomplishment. This is his strongest effort yet, balancing rapturous emotion and knotty intellect, melodic flow and rhythmic heft. Iyer works here, as he usually does, with alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa. Mahanthappa, like Iyer an Indian-American who has mined Asian culture to rewarding effect, doesn't so much play songs as lay down shapely streams of consciousness, vamping with greater restraint and variety than he once did. Unlike many lyrically minded young pianists, Iyer is unafraid to attack the keys, but his percussive approach, marked by antic unfurling chords reminiscent of McCoy Tyner's (just as his close partnership with the instant-starting Mahanthappa is reminiscent of Tyner's with John Coltrane), has different levels of intensity. With bassist Stephan Crumb and drummer Marcus Gilmore establishing dense force fields, Iyer moves seamlessly from modal patterns to swing effects to subtle funk figures. His bands are known for their tightness and team concept and this quartet is no exception.

The Ladyes Delight: Entertainment Music of Elizabethan England
Classical, Renaissance/Folk | 1 CD | EAC | FLAC, CUE, LOG | Scans | 351 MB | RS
Recorded: Apr., May, Dec. 1997, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy, NY
Released: 1998 | Label: Dorian DOR-90252 | TT: 63:18
The Baltimore Consort

Baltimore Consort is well-known for their skillful renditions of Renaissance music, and Ladyes Delight, their 1998 release, definitely continues that tradition. Here they perform the "broken consort," or mixed-ensemble secular music, for instruments such as bandora, cittern, viol, flute, and lute. The melodies are resplendent with the multiple layers and textures that the artists offer with much joyous enthusiasm, from the lucidly balladic "Yonder Comes a Courteous Knight" to the cheerfully lilting "Jumpe at My Cozen." This is another must-have album for Renaissance music collectors. (Murrday Fisher, All Music Guide)