music Elton John The Lockdown Sessions Interscope Elton John’s The Lockdown Sessions is an album of collaborations recorded remotely over the last 18 months. The Lockdown Sessions is a dazzlingly diverse collection of 16 songs, all Elton John collaborations, with some of the biggest, most exciting artists in the world today including Brandi Carlile, Charlie Puth, Dua Lipa, Eddie Vedder, Gorillaz, Lil Nas X, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Rina Sawayama, SG Lewis, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Surfaces, Years & Years, Young Thug, and more. Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves Reconvexo Anxic Records Artists responded to the forced isolation brought about by the 2020 pandemic in various ways across the globe. In Brazil, superstars such as Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento and Gilberto Gil shared performances from their homes with their fans, from one living room to another. Among those fans were Anat Cohen and Marcello Gonçalves, quarantined in Rio. And against the backdrop of a country and a world turning inward, distilling the importance of music in the lives of so many, the duo set out to record an album inspired by the beauty of Brazil, and the spirit of its people. The result is at once intimate and virtuosic, mournful and hopeful, soaked with the feeling expressed uniquely in the Portuguese language as saudade—bittersweet, at once deeply happy and sad, and full of emotion. Louis Armstrong A Gift To Pops (various artists) Verve While New Orleans native Louis Armstrong passed away in 1971 at the age of 69, today his legacy as the kingpin of jazz continues to grow. The most significant example of this is the ensemble The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All Stars, comprised largely 22
ICON | NOVEMBER 2021 | ICONDV.COM
of top-of-the-line Crescent City musicians paying tribute to him with this brilliant album. The inventive re-envisioning of music associated with the trumpeter/vocalist during his five-decade career features new arrangements and new performances of stalwart tunes ranging from The Peanut Vendox (recorded by him in 1930) to What a Wonderful World (recorded in 1968 and the most successful tune of his career). Special guests include Wynton Marsalis and Common. Nas King’s Disease II Mass Appeal Records Following the Grammy Award winning album, King’s Disease, the king returns to his throne with the second coming, King’s Disease II. The star studded project offers tacit game on life, love, and loss, uplifting through action and lived experience in a way only Nas can. This is a body of work for the fans, for the day 1’s that contributed to the legacy. Alongside the decorated production savant, Hit-Boy, Nas remains rooted in lyrical prophetism while proving that he constantly reinvents the wheel. Rod Stewart The Tears of Hercules Rhino/Warner Bros. Sir Rod Stewart’s rekindled love of songwriting grows even stronger on his brand-new studio album, The Tears of Hercules. This is Stewart’s fourth new album of original songs since 2013—his 31st album to date—and for this latest collection, Stewart wrote nine of the 12 songs, including the first single, “One More Time.” In addition to the new tracks, The Tears of Hercules includes covers of Marc Jordan, Johnny Cash, and more. This is a project close to Rod Stewart’s heart, especially the song “Touchline,” which he dedicated to his father, who taught him and his brothers to love football, a tradition Sir Rod
has passed down to his sons. Rod Stewart is one of the best-selling artists in the history of recorded music, with an estimated 250 million records and singles sold worldwide. His signature voice, style, and songwriting have transcended popular music genres, from rock, folk, soul, R&B, and even the Great American Songbook; making him one of the few stars to enjoy chart-topping albums throughout every decade of his career. Joe Bonamassa Time Clocks Provogue/J&R Adventures Recorded in New York City, this new album rediscovers Bonamassa at a newfound peak with heartfelt songwriting and an unparalleled Blues Rock prowess. Time Clocks follows Joe’s constant evolution as he continues to forge ahead, bending genres, breaking down walls and defying the odds of the music industry. He’s known as “the man in the suit,” loved by many as the ultimate guitar hero, cited by critics as “the world’s biggest blues guitarist” (Guitar World), and now the music mastermind has found yet another layer of immense new artistry to share with his fans. As one of today’s most in-demand touring acts the road has been long and winding, but the rough journey has molded his craft into gold. Philip Dukes, Peter Donohoe
Violin Works (Brahms and Schumann) Chandos Recognized as one of the world’s leading viola players, Philip Dukes has enjoyed a career spanning over thirty years as an accomplished concerto soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. He joins forces with Peter Donohoe, acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time, for this extraordinary recording of works by Brahms and Schumann. As he writes in his booklet note, Phillip wanted to
>
29
