This excellent recording is one of the first releases on the brand new label Paradizo, established by the famous harpsichordist Skip Sempé. The music is by two of the best French Baroque composers, Marais and Sainte-Colombe, the lives of which were so well portrayed in the captivating film "Tous les Matins du Monde".

All the pieces on this CD were written for the viola da gamba to fully exploit and demonstrate the instrument's potential for expressive power, varying tonal colors and musical characteristics. This is the first solo effort by Josh Cheatham, who has studied with Kuijken and Savall, and performed with Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Montreal Baroque, Capriccio Stravagante, to name but a few. He is a perfect advocate for this deeply expressive and multi-faceted music, and displays a rare maturity in his control of the instrument's voice.

Highly recommended for fans of music from this period in history. As an added bonus, this CD package also contains a DVD of these fine musicians in a programme of works by Marais, Hotteterre and Telemann. All in all a very fine effort by this new label which will no doubt present us with many treasures from the Baroque.

Jean-Yves Duperron