Alison Balsom - Paris
Without a doubt one of today's most ground-breaking classical musicians, Alison Balsom now turns her attention to repertoire inspired by the world's most romantic city, Paris.
Balsom spent an important period of her life at the Paris Conservatoire and has pulled together a set of unusual pieces that range from great 20th-century French composers - Ravel, Duruflé, Messiaen - to jazz maestro Django Reinhardt and popular chanson française.
Balsom is also joined by some star guests on the album including guitarist Miloš Karadaglić, the renowned trumpeter Guy Barker and Downton Abbey star Julian Ovenden, who sings Les feuilles mortes in the original French.
The diversity of the works means that the album avoids a stereotypical 'Parisian' sound, and Balsom brings all her glamour and brilliant technical virtuosity to a very varied and inventive selection of works.
