Swedish DJ Avicii is a strange case. In 2011, he broke through with "Levels," a bleepy and bright bit of EDM that could have been his signature hit, but then his 2013 album, True, was a country-pop and folk-inspired affair that thrilled his fans with its inventiveness, but left others as cold as a meandering Mumford & Sons remix effort…

Alan Pasqua's My New Old Friend is mostly a set of sensitive and relaxed trio improvisations. Pasqua, bassist Darek Oles and drummer Peter Erskine, three of the top jazz musicians based in Los Angeles, perform subtle reshapings of five standards which alternate with six of Pasqua's generally introspective originals. One is reminded of Bill Evans (particularly on the standards) in Pasqua's sophisticated chord voicings and the close interplay of the musicians, but that is only a point of reference rather than a direct copy. However fans of Evans' treatments of ballads will certainly enjoy this accessible and thoughtful effort.

The six quartets, Op. 71 Nos. 1-3 and Op. 74 Nos. 1-3, belong to the period of Haydn's first visit to London, which lasted from January 1791 to June 1792. The autographs are actually dated 1793, but Haydn himself included them in the list of works he had composed while in england, and there are reasons for believing that this latter suggestion is the more likely. One reason is the occasional evidence that Haydn was trying to reproduce orchestral effects: the splendour of Salomon's orchestra was still ringing in his ears and he may, half consciously, have tried to imitate it in his quartets. a second and more important one is the fact that each of the six works is prefaced, unlike any of Haydn's other quartets, by an introductory passage or motif, however short, that remains distinct from the first movement even though it may exert some influence over it. This unique feature unquestionably derives from the 12 ''London'' Symphonies, all but one of which begin with a slow introduction.

Just four years after releasing the brilliant DVD In Stereovision, Blue Rodeo delve back into the medium for a fascinating look inside the life of Canada's best band. Featuring an acoustic live set (spotlighting the intimate opening half of their Small Miracles tour chronicled at Massey Hall in Toronto February 29, 2008) and a surreal "documentary" that chronicles the band jamming on brand new songs from Greg Keelor's home, the DVD is a tour de force by itself, capturing the most intimate thoughts of the bandmembers and showcasing why they remain one of Canada's most popular bands. But the CD accompaniment is worth the price of admission alone…

Where Have You Been? Live in Montreux 1976-1994 features the exciting blues guitarist/singer Luther Allison on selections taken from four appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Although the title says 1974-1994, the earliest numbers are actually from 1976, and these are the most memorable cuts on the CD. Even when sticking to cover tunes throughout the powerhouse performance (such as "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Little Red Rooster"), Allison plays with such enthusiasm and ferocity that he sounds as if he wrote the songs himself.

Alfredo Rodríguez's fourth studio album was recorded in just two days, with a majority of the songs being done impressively in one take. Over the past decade he has gone from a young local Cuban artist to a globally recognized Grammy®-nominee. As jazz music sees a resurgence in younger audiences, Rodríguez is leading the way for the new wave of Cuban musicians.