CHRISTOF LAUER | JENS THOMAS — Shadows in the Rain 'The Sting Project (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Roxanne    2:56
Composed By – Sting
2    So Lonely 6:53
Composed By – Sting
Arranged By – Colin Towns
3    Shadows In The Rain    3:57
Composed By – Sting
4    Ecilop    3:20
Composed By – Christof Lauer
5    Russians 5:13
Composed By – Sergei Prokofiev
Arranged By – Colin Towns
6    Ballad For Sting    3:08
Composed By – Christof Lauer
7    Syncronicity I    5:18
Composed By – Sting
8    Tea In The Sahara 3:24
Composed By – Sting
Arranged By – Colin Towns
9    Moon Over Bourbon Street    2:16
Composed By – Sting
10    No Matter What They Say    4:49
Composed By – Jens Thomas
11    Every Breath You Take    4:31
Composed By – Sting
12    Every Little Thing You Do Is Magic 3:43
Composed By – Sting
Arranged By – Colin Towns
13    Desert Rose    6:02
Composed By – Sting
14    Syncronicity II    5:41
Composed By – Sting
15    Roxanne (Reprise)    1:34
Composed By – Sting
Credits :
Ensemble – Cikada String Quartet (tracks: 2,5,8,12)
Piano – Jens Thomas
haug
Strings – Emery Cardas (tracks: 2,5,8,12), Henrik Hannisdal (tracks: 2,5,8,12), Marek Konstantynowicz (tracks: 2,5,8,12), Odd Hannisdal (tracks: 2,5,8,12)
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Christof Lauer
Vocals – Sidsel Endresen (tracks: 3)

ANNETTE PEACOCK — An Acrobat's Heart (2000) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Annette Peacock has been a defining influence on the music of ECM for many years, but An Acrobat's Heart is the first album she has made for the label as a leader. Here Peacock turns away from her previous work with electronic elements to produce a spare, ethereal set of compositions for voice, piano, and strings echoing the style of her early '80s album Skyskating. An Acrobat's Heart also marks the first time that Peacock has composed for strings, and the Cikada String Quartet's seamless accompaniment almost breathes with her. Silence and minimalism play major roles in this work, and both Peacock's voice and the accompanying instrumentation seem to bloom up from the quiet background and then dissipate again as quickly they appeared. The tones are clear and precise, but occasionally veer into dissonance as Peacock's wistful lyrics are fleshed out into holograms of sound, transparent but fully realized. Elements of jazz, blues, and torch songs ebb and flow throughout the album, adding to the nostalgic themes of romance and longing embodied by the lyrics. While seeming deeply personal, the lyrics are the weakest element of An Acrobat's Heart, lacking in the kind of poetic imagery and rhythm that would place them on a par with the quality of the surrounding music. Overall, however, this album proves that after over three decades as a performer, Annette Peacock still has the skill to compose and execute truly beautiful music. Stacia Proefrock
Tracklist :
1    Mia's Proof    5:24
2    Tho    5:24
3    Weightless    4:42
4    Over.    3:52
5    As Long As Now    3:49
6    U Slide    4:17
7    B 4 U Said    4:42
8    The Heart Keeps    3:08
9    Ways It Isn't    3:50
10    Unspoken    2:59
11    Safe    3:29
12    Free The Memory    4:36
13    , Ever 2 B Gotten.    2:53
14    Camille    4:50
15    Lost At Last    2:18
Credits :
Ensemble – Cikada String Quartet :
Viola – Marek Konstantynowicz
Violin – Henrik Hannisdal, Odd Hannisdal
Violoncello – Morten Hannisdal
Words, Music, Vocals, Piano – Annette Peacock

ARILD ANDERSEN - Hyperborean (1997) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Arild Andersen's Hyperborean is based on an Ancient Greek legend: according to the myth, the Hyperboreans lived beyond the north winds, where the sun god Apollo presided. Andersen has created an impressive song cycle that draws from contemporary instrumental, European jazz, jazz-rock and the distinctive ECM production sound. Andersen's playing is typically tasteful and the compositions are unpredictable and evocative, making Hyperborean another worthy addition to his catalog. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1     Patch of Light, No. 1 2:05
Arild Andersen
2     Hyperborean 5:15
Arild Andersen
3     Patch of Light, No. 2 2:01
Arild Andersen
4     Duke Vinaccia 4:19
Arild Andersen
5     Infinite Distance 5:43
Arild Andersen
6     Vanishing Waltz 1:49
Arild Andersen
7     The Island 6:42
Arild Andersen
8     Invisible Sideman 4:43
Arild Andersen
9     Rambler 3:21
Arild Andersen
10     Dragon Dance 5:36
Arild Andersen
11     Stillness 4:11
Arild Andersen
12     Too Late for a Picture 1:29
Arild Andersen
Credits :
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Kenneth Knudsen (faixas: 4)
Cello – Morten Hannisdal
Double Bass, Composed By – Arild Andersen
Drums, Percussion – Paolo Vinaccia
Ensemble [String Quartet] – Cikada String Quartet
Keyboards – Kenneth Knudsen
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Tore Brunborg
Tenor Saxophone – Bendik Hofseth
Viola – Marek Konstantynowicz
Violin – Henrik Hannisdal, Odd Hannisdal 

CIKADA STRING QUARTET - In due tempi (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless