An album featuring a unique take on Billie Holiday tunes has this week’s Sound Advice guest really excited. Capital Public Radio’s Afternoon Classical Host Cale Wiggins joins us with music from Davis pianist Lara Downes’ new release “Billie Holiday Songbook.” Plus, we’ll hear music from a young mandolinist who was nominated for a Grammy for best instrumentalist – it’s the first time a mandolinst has been nominated.

• Laura Downes, piano—“Billie Holiday Songbook” : “God Bless the Child” and Duke Ellington’s “Solitude”
• Simone Dinnerstein, piano, w/ Kristjan Jarvi and the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orch.—“Broadway-Lafayette” : Clips from “Ravel’s Piano Concerto no. 1: I. Allegramente and II. Adagio”
• Avi Avital, mandolin—“Vivaldi” : Vivaldi’s “Violin Concerto in A Minor: I Allegro”  

LINKS:

• Boston Globe: Mandolinist Avi Avital rocks with the Venice Baroque Orchestra