This week's quartet of new albums all show exquisite levels of musicianship:

- Sebastian Forster: exquisitely performed Beethoven piano sonatas.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/sforster-beethoventwo

Forster's first CD in the Beethoven series was our month-long best-seller, and I received a dozen personal emails from fans asking if I was releasing his entire Beethoven cycle (answer: yes!). This 2nd CD has an especially good piano recording sound: clear and crisp yet open and warm.

- The Dino Haak Collective: quirky, progressive, disciplined alt-rock.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/dinohaak-filmscore

Haak plays an instrument called the Mobius Megatar, a kind of twelve string guitar/bass that is entirely a fretboard, and which is played by striking the strings directly with the tips of your fingers. It's quite reminiscent of the Chapman Stick, and it takes an extraordinary musician to play such a beast. The most famous band using a similar instrument is King Crimson, and the first track on Haak's album will immediately recall their "Discipline" period. Haak was trapped for 6 albums with a record label who recorded but wouldn't release his albums, and he's now finally free, with Magnatune and you the co-beneficiaries.

- Kim Ribeiro: Brazilian contemporary and traditional flute.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/kimribeiro-majestic

Ribeiro writes his own pieces in a classical/Brazilian hybrid style, as well as reinterpreting other classical works. Features flute, oboe, classical guitar and percussion.

- Mark Cook: blues guitar legend in the making.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/markcook-highway

Extraordinary chops, yet avoiding the typical guitar-hero antics, make his guitar playing both tasteful and impressive. Reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

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This week's "from the back of the cupboard" is:

- Mr Gelatine: buzzy, trippy, glitchy melodic electronica.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/gelatine-electroluv

Way back in 2003 when I released this album (and started Magnatune) this was (and remains) one of my favorite electronica albums of all time. I featured Mr Gelatine as the first song on 12,000 promotional CDs I printed and gave out at trade shows that year.

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For just $15/month you can be a Magnatune member and can download any of our 10,000 songs at no cost. http://magnatune.com/downloads

-john

Description: middle eastern/balkan music and new age Genre: New Age Artist: Jesse Manno Album: Songs from the Second World Benford, Manno and Jones serve up an "East meets West" tour de force: a collaborative feast in which each composer brings three pieces to the table to be infused with each other's ingredients and spices. This rhythmically charged blend of instrumental pieces ranging from festive to introspective features Jesse Manno on Oud, Bouzouki, saz, Flutes and Vocals, Peter Jones on Piano, Accordion and Harmonium and Tigger Benford on Tabla, Drum set and Frame drums.