I just got a Sting album (another first), Songs from the Labyrinth. It's mostly songs by John Dowland, an Englishman who lived 1563 to 1626.

One of his friends, Sting says in the liner notes, "suggested that Dowland's songs would somehow suit my unschooled tenor." If you're used to hearing period music sung by formally trained artists, you might find it refreshing to hear Sting's more shaggy renditions.

My husband found some beautiful music by an indie musician from Italy, Alessandra Celetti. It's nice to write by, not distracting but conducive to thought. You can hear some pieces here, on the artist's myspace page.

We ordered a few of her albums from CD Baby.