Francis Dreyfus: 1940 - 2010
by: All About Jazz
Music publisher and record producer Francis Dreyfus died
Thursday, June 24, 2010, at the age of 70.
Through his labels Disques Motors and Dreyfus Records, Francis Dreyfus launched the careers of prominent artists, including Christophe and Jean Michel Jarre.
His love of jazz led to the creation of the Dreyfus Jazz label which brought together such major jazz figures as Michel Petrucciani, Richard Galliano, Bireli Lagrne, Aldo Romano, Marcus Miller, Ahmad Jamal, Roy Haynes, Philip Catherine, and Steve Grossman.
He was especially proud of having produced the “Jazz Reference," series which assembled legendary recordings of classic jazz and bebop, restored through a unique technological process developed with his friend, sound engineer, Rene Ameline.
In 1963 he became an independent music publisher, controlling among many others, rights to the works of Johnny Hallyday, Eddie et Sylvie Vartan, Petula Clark, Franois de Roubaix, Jean Renard, Bernard Lavilliers, Christophe Jean Michel Jarre, and also representing the works of Pink Floyd, Al Jarreau, Elvis Presley, Miles Davis, and others.
Francis Dreyfus was Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, and Commander of Arts and Letters.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Enrico Rava - The Great Trumpet Of Our Days
Quem é Enrico Rava ?
Tenho a certeza de que quando coloco as mãos em um cd dele, não sei o que esperar. sempre tenta colocar algo novo para ouvir-nos. Estes lançamentos pela ECM tem a qualidade de que considero ser o melhor trompete de jazz, hoje ! Entre estes 5 cd's, 4 são com o grande Stefano Bollani !
Qual a opinião sobre ele ?
Enrico Rava
New York Days
By John Kelman
In assessing Enrico Rava's lengthy career, while it is clear that he is still reaching for the unattainable, in recent years the Italian trumpeter's context has been considerably more centrist. Easy Living (ECM, 2004) and The Words and the Days (ECM, 2007) were undeniably mainstream, albeit with an unmistakable European and, at times, Mediterranean bent. New York Days teams Rava and pianist Stefano Bollani—last heard in duet on the marvelous The Third Man (ECM, 2008)—together with perennially underrated tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, increasingly ubiquitous bassist Larry Grenadier and drum icon Paul Motian for a set of nine originals and two free improvisations that, like The Third Man combine innate lyricism and swing with some of Rava's freest playing in years.
Whether suggested by Rava or ECM owner/producer Manfred Eicher, it's an inspired grouping. Motian collaborated with Rava and Bollani on TATI (ECM, 2005), though that was a more compositionally democratic affair. Here, with the exception of the two improvs, it's all Rava, and the trumpeter's writing brings the set a greater stylistic focus. The material does have breadth, however, ranging from the dark-hued, European impressionism of "Interiors" to "Thank You, Come Again," which leans more to the west side of the Atlantic in its harmonic approach and gentle swing.
Elsewhere, however, there are unexpected detours. "Outsider" begins with Grenadier's frenetic bass line, setting the stage for Bollani's oblique harmonies and Motian's trademark implicitness. Rava retains his own unmistakable melodicism while reaching for abstract heights as Grenadier, Bollani and Motian regularly break down and regroup, with Rava leaving space for Turner to demonstrate the kind of immediacy that's made him a highly respected figure amongst musicians—if not a hugely popular figure amongst the jazz listening populace. Wayne Shorter-like in his cerebralism and ability to make a single note mean everything, he darts in and out, punctuating and delivering lean, lithe lines that set up a brief but unrelenting duet between Bollani and Motian where the excitement is ratcheted up, with Grenadier only reentering in time for a brief recapitulation of the piece's high velocity theme.
How well these artists work together— intersecting in the past but never together as a quintet (e.g. TATI, Turner with Grenadier in Fly; Grenadier with Motian's Trio 2000+One)—is, perhaps, best heard on the two improvisations. Despite the freedom of "Outsider," "Improvisation I" is a classic case of pulling form from the ether, as the quintet gradually coalesces, over the course of four spare minutes, to create a clear compositional kernel. "Improvisation II" is starker still, but half-way through Bollani begins to bring form, leading to a remarkable series of cascading lines where the quintet magically connects.
Throughout, Turner's interactions with Rava at an equally deep level are further evidence of his remarkable talent. As the entire quintet finds new ways to coincidentally respect and reject tradition, New York Days emerges early in 2009 as one of Rava's richest and most rewarding showings since he returned to the label in 2003.
Track listing: Lulu; Improvisation I; Outsider; Certi Angoli Segreti; Interiors; Thank You, Come Again; Count Dracula; Luna Urbana; Improvisation II; Lady Orlando; Blancasnow.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Stefano Bollani: piano; Larry Grenadier: double-bass; Paul Motian: drums.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava & Stefano Bollani
The Third Man
By Laurel Gross
Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava and pianist Stefano Bollani have been collaborators for more than a dozen years and the dynamism of their close association is evidenced on their exquisite new duo CD. These two virtuosic and supremely focused performers need no third man to round out their evocative, often introspective and always superb playing on this recording, which features two very different but stunning renditions of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Retrato Em Branco Y Preto," works from another Brazilian, Moacir Santos, and Italians Bruno Martino and Bruno Brighetti as well as Rava and Bollani originals (they share composer credit for the title track, a nod to the Orson Welles suspense movie).
For the first set of their Feb. 23rd 2008 New York Birdland performance to celebrate this release, as well as the approach of another recording to be realized in a studio soon after, Rava and Bollani enlisted the help of a third, fourth and even a fifth man, top veterans all: bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Paul Motian and versatile boundary-pushing saxophonist Mark Turner. In a program that included several pieces not from the album and which was somewhat less moody and more rambunctious than the recording, everyone came out swinging and fully supportive of Rava and Bollani's joint vision and sound. Showmanship was also fully operative, the senior Rava with his long flowing hair and the younger animated Bollani providing visual contrast as well as interludes of humorous introductions. (In addition to being a supremely talented keypuncher, Bollani is also known as a quite the cut-up) Motian's active approach, Grenadier's solid bass and Turner's top-flight musings kept everybody in harmony.
But as the duo numbers from the live show demonstrated, the sparer pairing of Rava and Bollani prove the old maxim that less can be more. Their exceptional musical rapport and highly developed individuality in both playing and personality prove more than sufficient to satisfy even the most demanding of listeners. With Rava sometimes getting his clean clarion trumpet to sound like a trombone and Bollani lightly skitting over his keyboard in intricate fast runs, their sound feels pristine and unique.
Track listing: Estate; The Third Man; Sun Bay; Retrato Em Branco Y Preto; Birth of a Butterfly; Cumpari; Sweet Light; Santa Teresa; Felipe; In Search of Titina; Retrato Em Branco Y Preto, Var.; Birth of a Butterfly, Var.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet; Stefano Bollani: piano.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava Quintet
The Words and The Days
By Budd Kopman
If you look into the eyes of Enrico Rava as pictured on the cover of Easy Living (ECM, 2004), you will see a man totally at ease with himself and his musical career. Rava's seemingly effortless trumpet tone in all ranges pervades the music on that album with the warmth of the setting sun in the same cover photo, without neglecting the necessary intensity of all good jazz.
The Words and the Days brings back the same quintet, with one change: Andrea Pozza takes over the piano seat from Stefano Bollani. The music still has the Italianate warm that emanates from Rava's trumpet, but now it has an undertone which infuses every track with a kind of concentrated lightness that can move at will in any direction. Rava does not waste a single note when he plays.
This feeling is perhaps most noticeable in the second track, "Secrets." On that tune, these ears kept hearing strong echoes of Tomasz Stanko and Krzysztof Komeda. While their career arcs have been compared, Rava and Stanko do not sound alike at all (the former is light and smooth as silk, the latter has a burr and is on the dark side). However, "Secrets" has many moments that could make one think of Komeda's "Kattorna" in both motive and construction. Also, Pozza's contributions sound very much like those of Wasilewski on Lontano, and without stretching too far, "The Words And The Days," with its endless feel of unresolving introduction, could also have appeared on the same record. Perhaps the two men, in honing their musical experiences down to the barest minimums, have crossed paths.
Bollani, who deeply acknowledges Rava's mentoring, left the band to pursue his own career as a leader and soloist. Pozza is not a mere replacement, and in many ways he fits the music better. The distinction is hard to describe, but Pozza has a bit more forward energy and a sharper, more angular touch, which contrasts nicely with the round, smooth sounds of Rava's trumpet and Gianluca Petrella's trombone.
The band is perhaps even tighter here than on Easy Living, which I attribute to Pozza and especially Petrella. His solos and of course the exposed duet on Don Cherry's "Art Deco" say a lot, but his counter-lines, which fill both a melodic and harmonic function, are just perfect. Petrella has so deeply internalized Rava's esthetic that his opening notes on "Doctor Ra And Mr. Va" could easily be mistaken for a lower-register Rava, who comes in later and surprises with each listen.
The Words and the Days is a truly gorgeous record that aspires to more than just beauty, combining the rose and the thorn. Rava and the other members of his band are masters in total control of their art, making outstanding music.
Track listing: The Words and the Days; Secrets; The Wind; Echoes of Duke; Tutu; Sogni Proibiti; Todamor; Serpent; Art Deco; Traps; Bob the Cat; Doctor Ra and Mr. Va.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet; Gianluca Petrella: trombone; Andrea Pozza: piano; Rosario Bonaccorso: bass; Roberto Gatto: drums.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava
Tati
By Chris May
What you see is not necessarily the only thing you get. The track titles here, including Gershwin's "The Man I Love" and Puccini's "E Lucevan Le Stelle," together with Enrico Rava's celebrated melodic genius, might suggest an album of lush and legato music, comfortably at peace with the world. And indeed, TATI is glowingly lyrical from start to finish. But this lyricism comes with a bite. Like Easy Living, the ECM album which preceded it, this set is multi-levelled: underneath its steady and apparently undisturbed riverlike surface lie darker currents and uncharted depths.
Like his near-contemporary Tomasz Stanko, Rava began his career with both feet planted in free jazz, and he has not forgotten his roots. Age may have tempered his experimentalism and directed it increasingly towards a rapprochement with melodicism, but it has not obscured it.
Rava shares this aesthetic with his two supremely compatible partners. Paul Motian is a uniquely melodic drummer, and like Rava an adagio player par excellence. The relatively young, at thirty-something, Stefano Bollani, a frequent collaborator, is blessed with a melodicism as unquenchable as Rava's, and he's as likely to dart down unexpected, half-hidden passageways.
Whether by design or accident, the edgy qualities in Rava's music become more pronounced as TATI progresses, from track five, "Mirrors," onwards. "Cornettology," at 6:36 the longest track on the album, is a salute to Ornette Coleman's early experiments, with lightning-fast interplay among all three musicians, and Motian's asymmetrical dialoging with Rava especially remarkable. More than Gershwin or Puccini, it defines what TATI is about.
Most of the material here is original, including six tracks by Rava, three by Motian, and one by Bollani, and the three voices mesh seamlessly. Only two tracks are entirely free of dark corners: Motian's Satie-esque "Birdsong" and Rava's rapturous "Golden Eyes." For the rest you can enjoy a spicy and occasionally urgent lyricism which is hugely more-ish, and likely to induce serial hitting of the repeat button.
Track listing: The Man I Love; Birdsong; Tati; Casa Di Bambola; E Lucevan Le Stelle; Mirrors; Jessica Too; Golden Eyes; Fantasm; Cornettology; Overboard; Gang Of 5.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet, french horn; Stefano Bollani: piano; Paul Motian: drums.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava
Easy Living
By John Kelman
After nearly 20 years away from the label, Italian trumpet legend Enrico Rava makes a triumphant return to ECM with Easy Living , an album that proves that a relaxed, unforced approach can have its own kind of quiet intensity.
Comparisons can be made to Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko who, also in his 60s, has similarly developed a penchant for a mellower, more soulful approach. Both artists have surrounded themselves with young musicians from their own countries. But there the similarities end. Whereas Stanko's tone is sharp and raspy, Rava's is as rich as a box of dark chocolate; his sound is so warm that it can sometimes be mistaken for flugelhorn.
Rava exercises seemingly effortless control over his instrument. On "Sand" he hits and holds high notes with the kind of command that is heard from few others, perhaps only Kenny Wheeler. And even when he reaches for the high end of his horn he is never brash or piercing; his tone is always warm and appealing.
Rava's writing leaves plenty of room for exploration, all the while maintaining a structure that keeps his young quintet clearly focused. With the exception of drummer Roberto Gatto, all the players are in their late twenties and early thirties, but their musical maturity and broad vocabulary belie their young ages. Most impressive are trombonist Gianluca Petrella and pianist Stefano Bollani; both capable of exquisite tenderness, when things are kicked up a notch, as they are on "Hornette And The Drums Thing," they demonstrate true virtuoso capabilities; and Gatto, who for most of the album is content to create a light framework for the rest of the group, delivers a solo that is notable for its sheer musicality.
While not as inherently adventurous as some of his earlier ECM recordings, including The Pilgrim and the Stars and Opening Night , there are many hidden rewards on Easy Living. From deep within these tunes Rava demonstrates a breadth that can only come from a lifetime of playing in many contexts. From near-bop to subtle abstraction, from cinematic excursions to free-flowing lines, Rava is clearly at the top of his game.
With a style that is completely distinctive, a sound that is warm and lush, and the musical maturity of an artist who has nothing to prove, Rava is in fine form. With Easy Living he returns to the label and producer who gave him his first major exposure on the international stage in 1975; here's hoping this is the beginning of a renewed and long-term relationship.
Track listing: Cromosomi; Drops; Sand; Easy Living; Algir Dalbughi; Blancasnow; Traveling Night; Honerette And The Drums Thing; Rain
Personnel: Enrico Rava (trumpet), Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Stefano Bollani (piano), Rosario Bonaccorso (double-bass), Roberto Gatto (drums)
Tenho a certeza de que quando coloco as mãos em um cd dele, não sei o que esperar. sempre tenta colocar algo novo para ouvir-nos. Estes lançamentos pela ECM tem a qualidade de que considero ser o melhor trompete de jazz, hoje ! Entre estes 5 cd's, 4 são com o grande Stefano Bollani !
Qual a opinião sobre ele ?
Enrico Rava
New York Days
By John Kelman
In assessing Enrico Rava's lengthy career, while it is clear that he is still reaching for the unattainable, in recent years the Italian trumpeter's context has been considerably more centrist. Easy Living (ECM, 2004) and The Words and the Days (ECM, 2007) were undeniably mainstream, albeit with an unmistakable European and, at times, Mediterranean bent. New York Days teams Rava and pianist Stefano Bollani—last heard in duet on the marvelous The Third Man (ECM, 2008)—together with perennially underrated tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, increasingly ubiquitous bassist Larry Grenadier and drum icon Paul Motian for a set of nine originals and two free improvisations that, like The Third Man combine innate lyricism and swing with some of Rava's freest playing in years.
Whether suggested by Rava or ECM owner/producer Manfred Eicher, it's an inspired grouping. Motian collaborated with Rava and Bollani on TATI (ECM, 2005), though that was a more compositionally democratic affair. Here, with the exception of the two improvs, it's all Rava, and the trumpeter's writing brings the set a greater stylistic focus. The material does have breadth, however, ranging from the dark-hued, European impressionism of "Interiors" to "Thank You, Come Again," which leans more to the west side of the Atlantic in its harmonic approach and gentle swing.
Elsewhere, however, there are unexpected detours. "Outsider" begins with Grenadier's frenetic bass line, setting the stage for Bollani's oblique harmonies and Motian's trademark implicitness. Rava retains his own unmistakable melodicism while reaching for abstract heights as Grenadier, Bollani and Motian regularly break down and regroup, with Rava leaving space for Turner to demonstrate the kind of immediacy that's made him a highly respected figure amongst musicians—if not a hugely popular figure amongst the jazz listening populace. Wayne Shorter-like in his cerebralism and ability to make a single note mean everything, he darts in and out, punctuating and delivering lean, lithe lines that set up a brief but unrelenting duet between Bollani and Motian where the excitement is ratcheted up, with Grenadier only reentering in time for a brief recapitulation of the piece's high velocity theme.
How well these artists work together— intersecting in the past but never together as a quintet (e.g. TATI, Turner with Grenadier in Fly; Grenadier with Motian's Trio 2000+One)—is, perhaps, best heard on the two improvisations. Despite the freedom of "Outsider," "Improvisation I" is a classic case of pulling form from the ether, as the quintet gradually coalesces, over the course of four spare minutes, to create a clear compositional kernel. "Improvisation II" is starker still, but half-way through Bollani begins to bring form, leading to a remarkable series of cascading lines where the quintet magically connects.
Throughout, Turner's interactions with Rava at an equally deep level are further evidence of his remarkable talent. As the entire quintet finds new ways to coincidentally respect and reject tradition, New York Days emerges early in 2009 as one of Rava's richest and most rewarding showings since he returned to the label in 2003.
Track listing: Lulu; Improvisation I; Outsider; Certi Angoli Segreti; Interiors; Thank You, Come Again; Count Dracula; Luna Urbana; Improvisation II; Lady Orlando; Blancasnow.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Stefano Bollani: piano; Larry Grenadier: double-bass; Paul Motian: drums.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava & Stefano Bollani
The Third Man
By Laurel Gross
Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava and pianist Stefano Bollani have been collaborators for more than a dozen years and the dynamism of their close association is evidenced on their exquisite new duo CD. These two virtuosic and supremely focused performers need no third man to round out their evocative, often introspective and always superb playing on this recording, which features two very different but stunning renditions of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Retrato Em Branco Y Preto," works from another Brazilian, Moacir Santos, and Italians Bruno Martino and Bruno Brighetti as well as Rava and Bollani originals (they share composer credit for the title track, a nod to the Orson Welles suspense movie).
For the first set of their Feb. 23rd 2008 New York Birdland performance to celebrate this release, as well as the approach of another recording to be realized in a studio soon after, Rava and Bollani enlisted the help of a third, fourth and even a fifth man, top veterans all: bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Paul Motian and versatile boundary-pushing saxophonist Mark Turner. In a program that included several pieces not from the album and which was somewhat less moody and more rambunctious than the recording, everyone came out swinging and fully supportive of Rava and Bollani's joint vision and sound. Showmanship was also fully operative, the senior Rava with his long flowing hair and the younger animated Bollani providing visual contrast as well as interludes of humorous introductions. (In addition to being a supremely talented keypuncher, Bollani is also known as a quite the cut-up) Motian's active approach, Grenadier's solid bass and Turner's top-flight musings kept everybody in harmony.
But as the duo numbers from the live show demonstrated, the sparer pairing of Rava and Bollani prove the old maxim that less can be more. Their exceptional musical rapport and highly developed individuality in both playing and personality prove more than sufficient to satisfy even the most demanding of listeners. With Rava sometimes getting his clean clarion trumpet to sound like a trombone and Bollani lightly skitting over his keyboard in intricate fast runs, their sound feels pristine and unique.
Track listing: Estate; The Third Man; Sun Bay; Retrato Em Branco Y Preto; Birth of a Butterfly; Cumpari; Sweet Light; Santa Teresa; Felipe; In Search of Titina; Retrato Em Branco Y Preto, Var.; Birth of a Butterfly, Var.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet; Stefano Bollani: piano.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava Quintet
The Words and The Days
By Budd Kopman
If you look into the eyes of Enrico Rava as pictured on the cover of Easy Living (ECM, 2004), you will see a man totally at ease with himself and his musical career. Rava's seemingly effortless trumpet tone in all ranges pervades the music on that album with the warmth of the setting sun in the same cover photo, without neglecting the necessary intensity of all good jazz.
The Words and the Days brings back the same quintet, with one change: Andrea Pozza takes over the piano seat from Stefano Bollani. The music still has the Italianate warm that emanates from Rava's trumpet, but now it has an undertone which infuses every track with a kind of concentrated lightness that can move at will in any direction. Rava does not waste a single note when he plays.
This feeling is perhaps most noticeable in the second track, "Secrets." On that tune, these ears kept hearing strong echoes of Tomasz Stanko and Krzysztof Komeda. While their career arcs have been compared, Rava and Stanko do not sound alike at all (the former is light and smooth as silk, the latter has a burr and is on the dark side). However, "Secrets" has many moments that could make one think of Komeda's "Kattorna" in both motive and construction. Also, Pozza's contributions sound very much like those of Wasilewski on Lontano, and without stretching too far, "The Words And The Days," with its endless feel of unresolving introduction, could also have appeared on the same record. Perhaps the two men, in honing their musical experiences down to the barest minimums, have crossed paths.
Bollani, who deeply acknowledges Rava's mentoring, left the band to pursue his own career as a leader and soloist. Pozza is not a mere replacement, and in many ways he fits the music better. The distinction is hard to describe, but Pozza has a bit more forward energy and a sharper, more angular touch, which contrasts nicely with the round, smooth sounds of Rava's trumpet and Gianluca Petrella's trombone.
The band is perhaps even tighter here than on Easy Living, which I attribute to Pozza and especially Petrella. His solos and of course the exposed duet on Don Cherry's "Art Deco" say a lot, but his counter-lines, which fill both a melodic and harmonic function, are just perfect. Petrella has so deeply internalized Rava's esthetic that his opening notes on "Doctor Ra And Mr. Va" could easily be mistaken for a lower-register Rava, who comes in later and surprises with each listen.
The Words and the Days is a truly gorgeous record that aspires to more than just beauty, combining the rose and the thorn. Rava and the other members of his band are masters in total control of their art, making outstanding music.
Track listing: The Words and the Days; Secrets; The Wind; Echoes of Duke; Tutu; Sogni Proibiti; Todamor; Serpent; Art Deco; Traps; Bob the Cat; Doctor Ra and Mr. Va.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet; Gianluca Petrella: trombone; Andrea Pozza: piano; Rosario Bonaccorso: bass; Roberto Gatto: drums.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava
Tati
By Chris May
What you see is not necessarily the only thing you get. The track titles here, including Gershwin's "The Man I Love" and Puccini's "E Lucevan Le Stelle," together with Enrico Rava's celebrated melodic genius, might suggest an album of lush and legato music, comfortably at peace with the world. And indeed, TATI is glowingly lyrical from start to finish. But this lyricism comes with a bite. Like Easy Living, the ECM album which preceded it, this set is multi-levelled: underneath its steady and apparently undisturbed riverlike surface lie darker currents and uncharted depths.
Like his near-contemporary Tomasz Stanko, Rava began his career with both feet planted in free jazz, and he has not forgotten his roots. Age may have tempered his experimentalism and directed it increasingly towards a rapprochement with melodicism, but it has not obscured it.
Rava shares this aesthetic with his two supremely compatible partners. Paul Motian is a uniquely melodic drummer, and like Rava an adagio player par excellence. The relatively young, at thirty-something, Stefano Bollani, a frequent collaborator, is blessed with a melodicism as unquenchable as Rava's, and he's as likely to dart down unexpected, half-hidden passageways.
Whether by design or accident, the edgy qualities in Rava's music become more pronounced as TATI progresses, from track five, "Mirrors," onwards. "Cornettology," at 6:36 the longest track on the album, is a salute to Ornette Coleman's early experiments, with lightning-fast interplay among all three musicians, and Motian's asymmetrical dialoging with Rava especially remarkable. More than Gershwin or Puccini, it defines what TATI is about.
Most of the material here is original, including six tracks by Rava, three by Motian, and one by Bollani, and the three voices mesh seamlessly. Only two tracks are entirely free of dark corners: Motian's Satie-esque "Birdsong" and Rava's rapturous "Golden Eyes." For the rest you can enjoy a spicy and occasionally urgent lyricism which is hugely more-ish, and likely to induce serial hitting of the repeat button.
Track listing: The Man I Love; Birdsong; Tati; Casa Di Bambola; E Lucevan Le Stelle; Mirrors; Jessica Too; Golden Eyes; Fantasm; Cornettology; Overboard; Gang Of 5.
Personnel: Enrico Rava: trumpet, french horn; Stefano Bollani: piano; Paul Motian: drums.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
Enrico Rava
Easy Living
By John Kelman
After nearly 20 years away from the label, Italian trumpet legend Enrico Rava makes a triumphant return to ECM with Easy Living , an album that proves that a relaxed, unforced approach can have its own kind of quiet intensity.
Comparisons can be made to Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko who, also in his 60s, has similarly developed a penchant for a mellower, more soulful approach. Both artists have surrounded themselves with young musicians from their own countries. But there the similarities end. Whereas Stanko's tone is sharp and raspy, Rava's is as rich as a box of dark chocolate; his sound is so warm that it can sometimes be mistaken for flugelhorn.
Rava exercises seemingly effortless control over his instrument. On "Sand" he hits and holds high notes with the kind of command that is heard from few others, perhaps only Kenny Wheeler. And even when he reaches for the high end of his horn he is never brash or piercing; his tone is always warm and appealing.
Rava's writing leaves plenty of room for exploration, all the while maintaining a structure that keeps his young quintet clearly focused. With the exception of drummer Roberto Gatto, all the players are in their late twenties and early thirties, but their musical maturity and broad vocabulary belie their young ages. Most impressive are trombonist Gianluca Petrella and pianist Stefano Bollani; both capable of exquisite tenderness, when things are kicked up a notch, as they are on "Hornette And The Drums Thing," they demonstrate true virtuoso capabilities; and Gatto, who for most of the album is content to create a light framework for the rest of the group, delivers a solo that is notable for its sheer musicality.
While not as inherently adventurous as some of his earlier ECM recordings, including The Pilgrim and the Stars and Opening Night , there are many hidden rewards on Easy Living. From deep within these tunes Rava demonstrates a breadth that can only come from a lifetime of playing in many contexts. From near-bop to subtle abstraction, from cinematic excursions to free-flowing lines, Rava is clearly at the top of his game.
With a style that is completely distinctive, a sound that is warm and lush, and the musical maturity of an artist who has nothing to prove, Rava is in fine form. With Easy Living he returns to the label and producer who gave him his first major exposure on the international stage in 1975; here's hoping this is the beginning of a renewed and long-term relationship.
Track listing: Cromosomi; Drops; Sand; Easy Living; Algir Dalbughi; Blancasnow; Traveling Night; Honerette And The Drums Thing; Rain
Personnel: Enrico Rava (trumpet), Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Stefano Bollani (piano), Rosario Bonaccorso (double-bass), Roberto Gatto (drums)
Monday, June 14, 2010
Desert Island Top Ten JAZZ CD's
Aqui está minha lista, dos meus favoritos, os 10 mais para uma ilha deserta:
1) Bill Evans / You Must Believe In Spring
Warner Bros R2 73719
Personnel: Bill Evans, acoustic and electric piano; Eddie Gomez, bass; Eliot Zigmund, drums.
2) Tomasz Stanko Quartet / Suspended Night - ECM 1868
3) The Alan Broadbent Trio / Personal Standards
Concord 4757-2
5) Gidon Kremer / Homage à Piazzolla - Nonesuch 7589-79407-2
6) Fred Hersch / Evanessence - Bellaphone 66053027
by Alex Henderson
by Scott Yanow
by David R. Adler
10) Charlie Haden Quartet West / Haunted Heart
Verve 3145130782
Aonde estão as listas ?????????????
PS - Alterações serão permitidas !!!!!
1) Bill Evans / You Must Believe In Spring
Warner Bros R2 73719
By Chris M. Slawecki
After more than a decade as one of the pianist’s most sympathetic bassists, this was Eddie Gomez’s last recording with Evans, a trio set with drummer Eliot Zigmund recorded in 1977 and released after Evans’ death in 1980.
Evans never stopped searching for new ideas. He might be faulted for repeatedly looking for them in the same tunes, but this program is quite varied, including Johnny Mandel’s “Suicide is Painless” (the theme from M.A.S.H. ); Michel Legrand’s title track; Gary McFarland’s waltz “Gary’s Theme,” complementing Evans’ own “B Minor Waltz (For Ellaine),” composed for Evans’ wife; and “We Will Meet Again (For Harry),” Evans’ tribute to his brother.
In Evans’ hands, melodies and time signatures are often more whispered, more shadowed, than stated, as in the opening “B Minor Waltz (For Ellaine)” and the somber, reflective title track, which blossoms, after Gomez’ mid-song solo, like dogwoods on a mid-May morning. Evans boasted such a unique, unmistakable touch—emotional and beautiful and even soft, but never sweet. (Gomez is pretty amazing himself on “M.A.S.H.,” laying down the foundation rock solid yet pushing the music forward, too.)
Among this reissue’s bonus tracks, “Without a Song” is about as ebullient as you’ll ever hear this pianist, and “Freddie Freeloader,” the one track on Miles Davis’ landmark album Kind of Blue where Evans did not play, presents the rare sound of Evans on electric piano.
As a rule, Evans could pick up the program from an elementary school chorus festival and play it inventively and beautifully. This set is no exception.
Track listing: B Minor Waltz (For Ellaine); You Must Believe in Spring; Gary's Theme; We Will Meet Again (For Harry); The Peacocks; Theme from M*A*S*H; Without A Song; Freddie Freeloader; All of You
After more than a decade as one of the pianist’s most sympathetic bassists, this was Eddie Gomez’s last recording with Evans, a trio set with drummer Eliot Zigmund recorded in 1977 and released after Evans’ death in 1980.
Evans never stopped searching for new ideas. He might be faulted for repeatedly looking for them in the same tunes, but this program is quite varied, including Johnny Mandel’s “Suicide is Painless” (the theme from M.A.S.H. ); Michel Legrand’s title track; Gary McFarland’s waltz “Gary’s Theme,” complementing Evans’ own “B Minor Waltz (For Ellaine),” composed for Evans’ wife; and “We Will Meet Again (For Harry),” Evans’ tribute to his brother.
In Evans’ hands, melodies and time signatures are often more whispered, more shadowed, than stated, as in the opening “B Minor Waltz (For Ellaine)” and the somber, reflective title track, which blossoms, after Gomez’ mid-song solo, like dogwoods on a mid-May morning. Evans boasted such a unique, unmistakable touch—emotional and beautiful and even soft, but never sweet. (Gomez is pretty amazing himself on “M.A.S.H.,” laying down the foundation rock solid yet pushing the music forward, too.)
Among this reissue’s bonus tracks, “Without a Song” is about as ebullient as you’ll ever hear this pianist, and “Freddie Freeloader,” the one track on Miles Davis’ landmark album Kind of Blue where Evans did not play, presents the rare sound of Evans on electric piano.
As a rule, Evans could pick up the program from an elementary school chorus festival and play it inventively and beautifully. This set is no exception.
Track listing: B Minor Waltz (For Ellaine); You Must Believe in Spring; Gary's Theme; We Will Meet Again (For Harry); The Peacocks; Theme from M*A*S*H; Without A Song; Freddie Freeloader; All of You
Personnel: Bill Evans, acoustic and electric piano; Eddie Gomez, bass; Eliot Zigmund, drums.
2) Tomasz Stanko Quartet / Suspended Night - ECM 1868
By Jeff Stockton
If you’re reading this review, there’s little doubt that you consider yourself a jazz fan. And as such, you’ve probably heard a person say to you with all conviction: “I don’t like jazz.” Miles in the ‘50s? Coltrane on Atlantic? What’s not to like? But when I hear this, I usually just let it go, frustrated by past attempts at persuasion, overwhelmed by my own disbelief. Now when this situation arises, however, I can hand them Suspended Night, jazz of delicacy, classical European beauty, sadness and hope.
Ten years ago Stanko, the 50 year old Polish veteran, began playing with a teenage rhythm section, scoring films and performing live fairly close to home. For this, the quartet’s second release for ECM, his band proves to be an ensemble of tight musicianship and sympathetic interaction. The opening piece, “Song for Sarah,” begins with pianist Marcin Wasilewski’s profound lyricism in deft, colorful strokes. Even if you’ve never heard Stanko play a note, you’re immediately drawn in by the cautious tempo and undercurrent of longing. When he does enter, the piano is in perfect complement to Stanko’s slightly roughened tone, honed by years of work and experience. Over and over on this recording the connection between trumpeter and pianist is palpable.
The rest of the CD is made up of ten “Suspended Variations” that integrate bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz, who offers resonant pizzicato playing, and drummer Michal Miskiewicz, who contributes subtle percussive accents and shimmers. As one comes to expect, Wasilewski carries the tunes forward with modal vamps and poetic improvisation, Stanko gliding above with tense restraint.
Listening to the Tomasz Stanko Quartet puts you in another place, where the overcoats are heavy and the wine is homemade. Where people do most of their living indoors, informed by a past when life had to be directed inward, away from disapproving eyes. It’s this existential intimacy that has formed Stanko’s melodic grace and soulful tranquility. In the end, Stanko endures, and his band play with the fire of those participating in an ongoing discovery, using the vocabulary of jazz. How can you not be a fan of that?
If you’re reading this review, there’s little doubt that you consider yourself a jazz fan. And as such, you’ve probably heard a person say to you with all conviction: “I don’t like jazz.” Miles in the ‘50s? Coltrane on Atlantic? What’s not to like? But when I hear this, I usually just let it go, frustrated by past attempts at persuasion, overwhelmed by my own disbelief. Now when this situation arises, however, I can hand them Suspended Night, jazz of delicacy, classical European beauty, sadness and hope.
Ten years ago Stanko, the 50 year old Polish veteran, began playing with a teenage rhythm section, scoring films and performing live fairly close to home. For this, the quartet’s second release for ECM, his band proves to be an ensemble of tight musicianship and sympathetic interaction. The opening piece, “Song for Sarah,” begins with pianist Marcin Wasilewski’s profound lyricism in deft, colorful strokes. Even if you’ve never heard Stanko play a note, you’re immediately drawn in by the cautious tempo and undercurrent of longing. When he does enter, the piano is in perfect complement to Stanko’s slightly roughened tone, honed by years of work and experience. Over and over on this recording the connection between trumpeter and pianist is palpable.
The rest of the CD is made up of ten “Suspended Variations” that integrate bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz, who offers resonant pizzicato playing, and drummer Michal Miskiewicz, who contributes subtle percussive accents and shimmers. As one comes to expect, Wasilewski carries the tunes forward with modal vamps and poetic improvisation, Stanko gliding above with tense restraint.
Listening to the Tomasz Stanko Quartet puts you in another place, where the overcoats are heavy and the wine is homemade. Where people do most of their living indoors, informed by a past when life had to be directed inward, away from disapproving eyes. It’s this existential intimacy that has formed Stanko’s melodic grace and soulful tranquility. In the end, Stanko endures, and his band play with the fire of those participating in an ongoing discovery, using the vocabulary of jazz. How can you not be a fan of that?
3) The Alan Broadbent Trio / Personal Standards
Concord 4757-2
by Stephen Cook
Since gaining fame as a member of Charlie Haden's excellent Quartet West, Alan Broadbent has seen his own catalog rise in stature. A welcome development, since a wider audience should check out the many fine recordings this unique pianist/composer/arranger has made. And in spite of the admission that his highly lyrical bent and soft touch come out of the work of Bill Evans, Red Garland, and Nat "King" Cole, among others, Broadbent is able to produce fresh solo conceptions and plenty of original material of his own. In fact, as the title implies, Personal Standards consists almost entirely of self-penned cuts, save for one by bassist Putter Smith. (This seamless piano trio is rounded out by drummer Joe LaBarbera.) Along with material also heard on various Quartet West recordings like "The Long Goodbye" and "Song of Home," the disc features a nice mix of ballads ("Ballad Impromptu"), mid- to up-tempo swingers ("Consolation"), as well as some blues ("Uncertain Terms"). And even though Broadbent favors slow and melancholy numbers, he can still vigorously turn on the technique, especially on the faster numbers here. In addition to his solo piano outing for the Maybeck Recital Hall series, Personal Standards offers a great introduction to Broadbent's work.
4) Ellis Marsalis Trio - Blue Note 7961072
Since gaining fame as a member of Charlie Haden's excellent Quartet West, Alan Broadbent has seen his own catalog rise in stature. A welcome development, since a wider audience should check out the many fine recordings this unique pianist/composer/arranger has made. And in spite of the admission that his highly lyrical bent and soft touch come out of the work of Bill Evans, Red Garland, and Nat "King" Cole, among others, Broadbent is able to produce fresh solo conceptions and plenty of original material of his own. In fact, as the title implies, Personal Standards consists almost entirely of self-penned cuts, save for one by bassist Putter Smith. (This seamless piano trio is rounded out by drummer Joe LaBarbera.) Along with material also heard on various Quartet West recordings like "The Long Goodbye" and "Song of Home," the disc features a nice mix of ballads ("Ballad Impromptu"), mid- to up-tempo swingers ("Consolation"), as well as some blues ("Uncertain Terms"). And even though Broadbent favors slow and melancholy numbers, he can still vigorously turn on the technique, especially on the faster numbers here. In addition to his solo piano outing for the Maybeck Recital Hall series, Personal Standards offers a great introduction to Broadbent's work.
4) Ellis Marsalis Trio - Blue Note 7961072
by Scott Yanow
Pianist Ellis Marsalis is in excellent form for this trio outing with bassist Bob Hurst and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. The performances fall generally into the medium-tempo range, with Ellis scattering some witty song quotes throughout the lightly swinging renditions. The high points include one of the more delightful versions ever of Johnny Mandel's "Emily," some close interplay during "Little Niles" and a tongue-in-cheek version of "Limehouse Blues" that includes slapped bass, parade rhythms and Marsalis trying in vain to sound Dixielandish. One programming error should be noted: there is no such song as "Just Squeeze Me" and, rather than the one performed being Fats Waller's "Squeeze Me," it is actually Duke Ellington's "Squeeze Me, But Please Don't Tease Me."
Pianist Ellis Marsalis is in excellent form for this trio outing with bassist Bob Hurst and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. The performances fall generally into the medium-tempo range, with Ellis scattering some witty song quotes throughout the lightly swinging renditions. The high points include one of the more delightful versions ever of Johnny Mandel's "Emily," some close interplay during "Little Niles" and a tongue-in-cheek version of "Limehouse Blues" that includes slapped bass, parade rhythms and Marsalis trying in vain to sound Dixielandish. One programming error should be noted: there is no such song as "Just Squeeze Me" and, rather than the one performed being Fats Waller's "Squeeze Me," it is actually Duke Ellington's "Squeeze Me, But Please Don't Tease Me."
5) Gidon Kremer / Homage à Piazzolla - Nonesuch 7589-79407-2
by Adam GreenbergFrom the violinist and Piazzolla fanatic Gidon Kremer comes this album of works by Piazzolla, along with one song in tribute to the legend. He covers a decent range of Piazzolla's work, moving equally well between slower milongas and faster tangos. The album starts out with the relatively somber, but quite dramatic "Milonga en re." It then moves on to a more upbeat set with "Vardarito" and the grandiose "Oblivion." Then comes "Escualo," which has something nearly akin to a march driving it. The more nostalgic tone of "Café 1930" immediately follows, snapping the listener back into a somber mood. The grand "Concierto para quinteto" makes an appearance, followed by "Soledad" and the deeper, darker sound of "Buenos Aires hora cero." "Celos" follows, to be followed itself by Jerry Peterburshsky's tribute to Piazzolla, "El sol sueno." Many of the attributes of Piazzolla's compositions make themselves apparent in this tribute, though the strings are in places somewhat more standard than Piazzolla's music might normally lead one to be accustomed to. The album finishes on the aptly titles "Grand Tango," for simply violin and piano. Kremer is among a small handful of musicians that are able to aptly evoke the power of the music of Piazzolla to come along since the death of Piazzolla (Yo-yo Ma's masterful album of Piazzolla works also numbers with Kremer). The passion and emotion created by Piazzolla's tangos are performed nearly to perfection here, with the only downside being the absence of Piazzolla himself. The ensemble of Russians and Eastern Europeans makes a surprisingly good stab at Argentine music here, showing if nothing else the universality of Piazzolla's work. Pick it up as a fan of Piazzolla, but pick up some actual Piazzolla
6) Fred Hersch / Evanessence - Bellaphone 66053027
by Alex Henderson
Initially released in Japan in 1990, Evanessence didn't come out in the U.S. until the Philadelphia-based Evidence Music reissued it in 1998. This excellent CD finds Hersch (who evolved into one of the finest acoustic pianists of the 1990s) paying tribute to the person he has been compared to more than anyone: Bill Evans. To be sure, Evans has had a major impact on Hersch's crystalline, elegant pianism. But Hersch (whose other main influences include Ahmad Jamal and Keith Jarrett) is far from a slavish imitator of Evans, and the fact that he's very much his own person comes through on both Evans' compositions (including "Turn Out the Stars," "We Will Meet Again" and "Remembering the Rain") and sensitive interpretations of "Alice in Wonderland" and "You Must Believe in Spring." Though Hersch's admiration for Evans (especially his 1970s work) is hard to miss, he comes across as someone who's adamant about being himself. The pianist's thoughtful accompaniment includes Toots Thielemans on harmonica, Gary Burton on vibes, Michael Formanek or Marc Johnson on bass and Jeff Hirshfield on drums. Highly recommended.
7) Kurt Elling / The Messenger - Blue Note 724385272721
by Scott Yanow
This is one of the most interesting jazz vocal sets to be released in 1997. Kurt Elling covers a wide range of music, continually taking chances and coming up with fresh approaches. He is assisted by his longtime pianist Laurence Hopgood, different bassists and drummers, and on various tracks trumpeter Orbert Davis and the tenors of Edward Petersen and Eddie Johnson. Among the more memorable selections are Elling's vocalese version of Dexter Gordon's solo on the lengthy "Tanya Jean," and his spontaneous storytelling on "It's Just a Thing" (a classic of its kind), some wild scatting on "Gingerbread Boy," the fairly free improvising of "Endless," and his mostly straightforward renditions of "Nature Boy," "April In Paris" and "Prelude to a Kiss." Cassandra Wilson drops by for "Time of the Season," but does not make much of an impression. This rewarding and continually intriguing set is particularly recommended to listeners who feel that jazz singing has not progressed much beyond bop.
8) Steve Kuhn / Oceans In The Sky - Owl R279232
By Dr.Judith Schlesinger
Recorded in 1989 for Owl Records and finally reissued, Oceans in the Sky is a timeless gem from impressionistic veteran pianist Steve Kuhn. Although he was John Coltrane's original pianist and worked with Stan Getz and Art Farmer, Kuhn's detour into electric piano, commercial music and accompaniment (most notably for Sheila Jordan) has to some extent diluted his pedigree. It's good to be reminded of his gifts, which include lyricism and taste and composition; his title track is powerful and harmonically intriguing, and "Ulla" is lovely.
Kuhn's tastefulness is also evident in his choice of, and approach to, material. Frank Lacey's thoughtful and pretty "Theme for Ernie" is rarely covered; the Jobim he picks is "Angela," one of the less hackneyed in the pantheon; and he gives a new pulse to "The Island." Being a third-stream fan, I especially enjoyed how he wove Debussy's "La Plus Que Lente" into a samba version of Ellington's "Passion Flower" with no seams showing; he also pairs "His Is the Only Music That Makes Me Dance" with Satie's "Gymnopedie," while straining all the Streisand schmaltz out of Jule Syne's beautiful Broadway showstopper.
Kuhn swings hard on Dorham's "Lotus Blossom" and subtly on Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way." Drummer Aldo Romano contributes the pretty "Do" as well as sensitive and unobtrusive percussion. It's good that Miroslav Vitous is a strong bassist, since Kuhn tends to lean towards the treble side of things. Oceans in the Sky is an understated and graceful outing – delicious.
Track listing: The Island, Lotus Blossom, La Plus Que Lente [Debussy]/Passion Flower, Do, Oceans in the Sky Theme for Ernie, Angela, In Your Own Sweet Way, Ulla, The Music That Makes Me Dance
Personnel: Steve Kuhn (piano), Miroslav Vitous (bass), Aldo Romano (drums)
Recorded in 1989 for Owl Records and finally reissued, Oceans in the Sky is a timeless gem from impressionistic veteran pianist Steve Kuhn. Although he was John Coltrane's original pianist and worked with Stan Getz and Art Farmer, Kuhn's detour into electric piano, commercial music and accompaniment (most notably for Sheila Jordan) has to some extent diluted his pedigree. It's good to be reminded of his gifts, which include lyricism and taste and composition; his title track is powerful and harmonically intriguing, and "Ulla" is lovely.
Kuhn's tastefulness is also evident in his choice of, and approach to, material. Frank Lacey's thoughtful and pretty "Theme for Ernie" is rarely covered; the Jobim he picks is "Angela," one of the less hackneyed in the pantheon; and he gives a new pulse to "The Island." Being a third-stream fan, I especially enjoyed how he wove Debussy's "La Plus Que Lente" into a samba version of Ellington's "Passion Flower" with no seams showing; he also pairs "His Is the Only Music That Makes Me Dance" with Satie's "Gymnopedie," while straining all the Streisand schmaltz out of Jule Syne's beautiful Broadway showstopper.
Kuhn swings hard on Dorham's "Lotus Blossom" and subtly on Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way." Drummer Aldo Romano contributes the pretty "Do" as well as sensitive and unobtrusive percussion. It's good that Miroslav Vitous is a strong bassist, since Kuhn tends to lean towards the treble side of things. Oceans in the Sky is an understated and graceful outing – delicious.
Track listing: The Island, Lotus Blossom, La Plus Que Lente [Debussy]/Passion Flower, Do, Oceans in the Sky Theme for Ernie, Angela, In Your Own Sweet Way, Ulla, The Music That Makes Me Dance
Personnel: Steve Kuhn (piano), Miroslav Vitous (bass), Aldo Romano (drums)
9) Charles Lloyd / The Water Is Wide - ECM 1734
by David R. Adler
Like 1999's Voice in the Night, The Water Is Wide features Charles Lloyd in the company of one of his dearest friends, drummer Billy Higgins, who would pass away less than a year after the album's release. Guitarist John Abercrombie also remains on board, but Lloyd extends the group's generational span by recruiting two younger players: pianist Brad Mehldau and bassist Larry Grenadier. The album begins with a straightforward, elegant reading of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia." Lloyd goes on to lead his ensemble through two lesser-known Ellington pieces, "Black Butterfly" and "Heaven"; Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom"; two original ballads, "Figure In Blue" and "Lady Day"; and Cecil McBee's "Song of Her," a track from Lloyd's 1968 classic, Forest Flower. It's a glorious amalgam of sound: the leader's unique, glissando-laden phraseology, Mehldau's harmonic nuances, unerring rhythmic backbone from Grenadier and the majestic Higgins — and only occasionally, pointed and eloquent guitarism from Abercrombie. The session ascends to an even higher level with the inclusion of two spirituals, "The Water Is Wide" and "There Is a Balm in Gilead." The latter features just Lloyd and Higgins, starkly setting the melody against a hypnotic drum chant. In addition, Lloyd's closing "Prayer," written for Higgins during a life-threatening episode back in 1996, features just the composer, Abercrombie, and guest bassist Darek Oles. (Oddly, Oles' credit is relegated to the fine print.) These tracks, most of all, resonate with personal meaning and profundity.
10) Charlie Haden Quartet West / Haunted Heart
Verve 3145130782
by Ron Wynn
Charlie Haden loves film as much as music, combining both loves on the critically acclaimed Haunted Heart. Haden led his tremendous group Quartet West through 12 numbers, several, like Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye," and Alan Broadbent's "Lady In The Lake," Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz's "Haunted Heart," and even the short introduction, with film ties and/or links. Haden transferred vocals on some numbers from Jeri Southern, Billie Holiday and Jo Stafford into the mix without disrupting or disturbing the group framework. Quartet West has emerged as a premier small combo, and Haden nicely paid tribute to the past without being held hostage to it.
Charlie Haden loves film as much as music, combining both loves on the critically acclaimed Haunted Heart. Haden led his tremendous group Quartet West through 12 numbers, several, like Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye," and Alan Broadbent's "Lady In The Lake," Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz's "Haunted Heart," and even the short introduction, with film ties and/or links. Haden transferred vocals on some numbers from Jeri Southern, Billie Holiday and Jo Stafford into the mix without disrupting or disturbing the group framework. Quartet West has emerged as a premier small combo, and Haden nicely paid tribute to the past without being held hostage to it.
Aonde estão as listas ?????????????
PS - Alterações serão permitidas !!!!!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tierney Sutton - My Jazz Diva of the Millenium
Prezados JazzMen & JazzWomen,
O que é Jazz ? Não é forma de expressão musical, muito menos tipo de música; mas sim a forma livre de interpretar qualquer tipo de música.
Não curti as grandes divas, ouvi todas mas fora do auge da carreira.
Estamos sem nenhuma.
Mas estamos no século 21, e temos que ouvir outras formas de cantoras/cantor, neste sentido, Tierney Sutton acompanhada sempre do Christian Jacob Trio, é minha DIVA !!!!
Qual outra poderia lançar oito CD's no mais alto nível do JAZZ ?
Não conheço CD fraco da DIVA TIERNEY SUTTON !!! VIVA O JAZZ !!!!!!!!
CJ=Christian Jacob/ TH=Trey Henry/ RB=Ray Brinker
Tierney Sutton Band
Desire
by Ken Dryden
Tierney Sutton has evolved into one of the most striking jazz singers of the early 21st century, simply because of her gift for finding new approaches to familiar songs without abandoning their essence. With her longtime band (pianist CJ, drummer RB, and either TH or Kevin Axt on bass), Sutton has crafted unusual arrangements of nine standards that many vocalists seem to perform on autopilot without giving them much thought. She turns "It's Only a Paper Moon" into a mystical work by interweaving an excerpt of a Bahá'í prayer in a tense arrangement with Jacob's adventurous altered chords and Brinker's brushwork complementing her enchanting vocal. The uptempo backing to her explosive interpretation of "My Heart Belongs" gives it a decidedly new twist. Likewise, Sutton puts her own touch on perennial vamp favorites like "Whatever Lola Wants" and "Fever" that make a substantial departure from well-known recordings. She's at her best with a pair of songs by Dave Frishberg, including the bittersweet "Long Daddy Green" (co-written by Blossom Dearie) and the touching ballad "Heart's Desire" (with music by Alan Broadbent), two gems that have been infrequently recorded.
Tierney Sutton Band
On The Other Side
by Jeff Tamarkin
Few jazz vocalists set out to deconstruct a standard as thoroughly as Tierney Sutton does. Her past albums have hovered around a theme but none as devotedly as On the Other Side, which takes the simple concept of happiness and turns it on its ear. Sutton could have approached classics like "Happy Talk," "Make Someone Happy," "Happy Days Are Here Again," and "Get Happy" as most singers would, finding their sweet spots and putting on a big smile as she sang them with ebullience. But these are some of the saddest renditions of happy tunes you'll ever hear, and Sutton's reinventions are such a success because she is so believably bummed. Often turning to minor keys to shift the mood downward, she takes the giddy and makes it melancholy. Rodgers & Hart's "Glad to Be Unhappy," despite its title, is quite often sung as if that's a welcomed state; when Sutton delivers a line such as "It's a pleasure to be sad," she makes certain that she's not appearing ironic. In Jimmie Davis' "You Are My Sunshine," the listener is right to ask whether the singer really means "You'll never know how much I love you," because the loneliness in her voice is so palpable. As always, Sutton's band is entirely sympathetic, their unfussy arrangements providing Sutton with the tonal foundation her unorthodox interpretations require. Her use of two bassists on some tracks doesn't weigh the music down but instead reinforces the darkness Sutton so convincingly conveys. And pianist Christian Jacob, especially, is a major presence — Sutton's sole accompanist on the album-closing "Smile" (the Chaplin's fave) is bluesy and mournful, the perfect complement to Sutton's unsmiling take. What's most interesting about On the Other Side, though, is that ultimately it doesn't feel like a downer. Sutton's voice is such a flexible, captivating instrument that it's a joy to follow, even as she's doing everything in her power to spread a frown. This CD was nominated for a Grammy award in 2007 for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Tierney Sutton
I'm With The Band
by Jonathan Widran
Since popping into our collective jazz consciousness as a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocal Competition in 1998 and signing with Telarc Jazz a few years later, the versatile stylist Sutton Tierney has carved a unique career around theme-centered recordings — most notably with Unsung Heroes (featuring sung renditions of songs normally done as instrumentals) and Blue in Green(a tribute record to Bill Evans). Her creativity with tempo, song selection, and witty modulations is at full-throttle on her fifth disc for the label, I'm with the Band, an hour-long set recorded live at Birdland in March 2005. Though she's clearly the star and her ensemble is always in her service, the album title and cover photo beautifully illustrate the mutual love she and her brilliant bandmates have shared for ten years. Each tune has space for Tierney to shine and improvise over simple harmonic and rhythmic support before she lets them break free. On the opening track, "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," she swings via words and scat over pianist CJ's alternately dark and light chordings, and drummer RB's brisk brushes; then Jacob rolls with a feisty solo as Brinker and bassists Kevin Axt and TH groove behind him. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" features their very gentle support behind her restrained and thoughtful reflections, while Tierney and her rhythm section render "'S Wonderful" with a wistful wink. Tierney has her moments of gentle and poignant romance ("If I Loved You"), but is clearly having the most fun when she's moving at a faster tempo, alternating words and scat so effortlessly and seamlessly that you don't realize she's shifting back and forth. This disc is live jazz at its best and is destined to be a classic.
Tierney Sutton
Dancing In The Dark
by Chris Nickson
This isn't Sutton's tribute to Sinatra, although all the material here was recorded and made famous by him. Instead, it's her working through the nooks and crannies of his songbook, and bringing things out and putting her own particular polish on them. It could be something with strings, such as "What'll I Do?" or the intimacy of "I'll Be Around," which is as much a plea as a reassurance and resignation. Her version of "I Think of You," whose melody comes originally from Rachmaninov, is gloriously subtle, the emotion as softly drawn out as the syllables. "I Could Have Told You" offers comfort and a shoulder to cry on, a gentle embrace that's almost a whisper in Sutton's hands. The music here is at its best when the orchestra keeps away — they simply become overkill, the too-sweet icing on an already-delicious cake. Perhaps her biggest test, though, comes at the end of the album, tackling "Fly Me to the Moon," followed by a medley of "Last Dance" and "Dancing in the Dark," taking on some of Sinatra's most famous pieces. While on the former Sutton doesn't always dig to the absolute heart of the song, the arrangement is stunning, with some outstanding piano from CJ that frees the songs from its '50s shackles. Sutton does sparkle on the other piece, however, especially "Dancing in the Dark," where the orchestral contributions are kept to a minimum, and the tracks swings in a minimalist fashion, Sutton's voice imbued with the magic of the night. The album might have been inspired by Sinatra, but in her own way, Sutton has gone beyond her inspiration.
Tierney Sutton
Something Cool
by Paula Edelstein
Tierney Sutton warms the soul with Something Cool. This offering, her third as a leader for the Telarc label, finds the vocalist using an array of vocal techniques, jazz styles, and formats on 14 great songs by several Great American Songbook composers, Bobby Troup, and the masterful Duke. Sutton is accompanied by her longtime trio of CJ on piano, TH on bass, and RB on drums. The lovely vocalist/educator charms her listeners with elongated phrasings, a strong rhythmic sense, and amazing improvisational abilities on three Lerner & Loewe themes from the Broadway musical My Fair Lady. In addition to the outstanding vocal treatments she offers her listeners on these classic songs, Sutton scats and swings through an amazing "Ding, Dong! The Witch Is Dead." This song not only shows her versatility with tempo changes and range, but also displays her unique talent for selecting songs commonly associated with another musical style and improvising them in a jazz context. She garnered international critical acclaim for this technique on her 1999 release titled Unsung Heroes. Additional highlights include Howard Dietz's "Alone Together," on which she duets with bassist TH, and her exceptional rendition of "The Best Is Yet to Come," which features her cool jazz vocal skills. Tierney Sutton is at her finest on this program and offers an impeccable selection of songs that showcase her distinct musical personality and quality sound.
Tierney Sutton
Blue in Green
by Ken Dryden
There have been a number of tributes to Bill Evans since the pianist's death in 1980, including a few by singers. But this CD by Tierney Sutton (only her third as a leader) is not only wide-ranging in its scope, as it draws songs from throughout his career, but the often innovative arrangements bring a freshness to the music. Sutton doesn't resort to loud theatrics but swings hard when necessary while focusing on the melody, and also gives her supporting trio (pianist CJ, bassist TH, and drummer RB) space to play. Evans' songs include a haunting "Blue in Green" (a modal gem credited to Miles but claimed by the pianist as his work) with a touching lyric by M. d'Ambrosio, the mournful "Turn Out the Stars," a magical deliberate take of "Very Early," and an enticing medley of two of Evans' ballads written in honor of two young ladies, "Waltz for Debby" (for his niece) and "Tiffany" (for drummer Joe LaBarbera's infant daughter, who later composed the lyrics to this song as a teenager; Joe takes over the drums on this one song). The brisk "Autumn Leaves" is given a dramatic facelift with some fine scatting by Sutton and a wonderful reworking of the chord structure, and the calypso-flavored introduction to "Someday My Prince Will Come" is a high point, too. Ken Wild takes over on bass for the enchanting piano-less arrangement of "Sometime Ago," playing an ostinato pattern and supplying a soft backing scat vocal on this catchy chart. This outstanding release by Tierney Sutton should be considered an essential acquisition by fans of jazz singers and music associated with or written by Bill.
Tierney Sutton
Unsung Heroes
by Rick Anderson
Tierney Sutton's light, sweet voice is not yet as familiar to most jazz fans as those of Ella or Sarah, but on the evidence of her first two albums, it deserves to be. Her flexibility and control are world-class, and she has a sense of taste that has never failed her on record; although her technique is superb, she never seems to be showing off. Unsung Heroes doesn't quite achieve the magic of her debut (Introducing Tierney Sutton, on A Records), but it's never less than entrancing: the program consists of jazz standards that are more commonly performed as instrumentals (hence the album's title), and her interpretations of "Indiana/Donna Lee" and "When Lights Are Low" are effortlessly charming; her take on the Dizzy's classic "Con Alma," with its slightly eerie a capella intro, is especially strong. Sutton is supported primarily by her longtime quartet, pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Trey Henry, and drummer Ray Brinker. Highly recommended.
Tierney Sutton
Introducing Tierney Sutton
by Rick Anderson
Tierney Sutton has the kind of voice that you can take for granted. After just a couple of tunes, you know you can relax — she's not going to flub a note, she's not going to screech trying to reach beyond her range, she's not going to show off. That frees you up to sit back, close your eyes, and alternate between wonder at her pure technique and rapt enjoyment of her artistry. Sutton's debut album is a program of standards (not to say potboilers): "The Song Is You," "My Heart Stood Still," "It Never Entered My Mind," like that. But even if you've heard all these songs a hundred times before, you'll still love this album. Not because she brings anything particularly surprising or revelatory to this repertoire, but because she sheds such a warm, sweet light on the songs that it's a pleasure to hear them again. Sometimes she surprises, as on the voice/bass duet arrangements of "In Love in Vain" and "My Heart Stood Still," which are two of this album's many highlights, or with startling scat excursions where you don't necessarily expect them. Other times she evokes Ella Fitzgerald at her peak, as on her rendition of "Caravan." But she never disappoints.
O que é Jazz ? Não é forma de expressão musical, muito menos tipo de música; mas sim a forma livre de interpretar qualquer tipo de música.
Não curti as grandes divas, ouvi todas mas fora do auge da carreira.
Estamos sem nenhuma.
Mas estamos no século 21, e temos que ouvir outras formas de cantoras/cantor, neste sentido, Tierney Sutton acompanhada sempre do Christian Jacob Trio, é minha DIVA !!!!
Qual outra poderia lançar oito CD's no mais alto nível do JAZZ ?
Não conheço CD fraco da DIVA TIERNEY SUTTON !!! VIVA O JAZZ !!!!!!!!
CJ=Christian Jacob/ TH=Trey Henry/ RB=Ray Brinker
Tierney Sutton Band
Desire
by Ken Dryden
Tierney Sutton has evolved into one of the most striking jazz singers of the early 21st century, simply because of her gift for finding new approaches to familiar songs without abandoning their essence. With her longtime band (pianist CJ, drummer RB, and either TH or Kevin Axt on bass), Sutton has crafted unusual arrangements of nine standards that many vocalists seem to perform on autopilot without giving them much thought. She turns "It's Only a Paper Moon" into a mystical work by interweaving an excerpt of a Bahá'í prayer in a tense arrangement with Jacob's adventurous altered chords and Brinker's brushwork complementing her enchanting vocal. The uptempo backing to her explosive interpretation of "My Heart Belongs" gives it a decidedly new twist. Likewise, Sutton puts her own touch on perennial vamp favorites like "Whatever Lola Wants" and "Fever" that make a substantial departure from well-known recordings. She's at her best with a pair of songs by Dave Frishberg, including the bittersweet "Long Daddy Green" (co-written by Blossom Dearie) and the touching ballad "Heart's Desire" (with music by Alan Broadbent), two gems that have been infrequently recorded.
Tierney Sutton Band
On The Other Side
by Jeff Tamarkin
Few jazz vocalists set out to deconstruct a standard as thoroughly as Tierney Sutton does. Her past albums have hovered around a theme but none as devotedly as On the Other Side, which takes the simple concept of happiness and turns it on its ear. Sutton could have approached classics like "Happy Talk," "Make Someone Happy," "Happy Days Are Here Again," and "Get Happy" as most singers would, finding their sweet spots and putting on a big smile as she sang them with ebullience. But these are some of the saddest renditions of happy tunes you'll ever hear, and Sutton's reinventions are such a success because she is so believably bummed. Often turning to minor keys to shift the mood downward, she takes the giddy and makes it melancholy. Rodgers & Hart's "Glad to Be Unhappy," despite its title, is quite often sung as if that's a welcomed state; when Sutton delivers a line such as "It's a pleasure to be sad," she makes certain that she's not appearing ironic. In Jimmie Davis' "You Are My Sunshine," the listener is right to ask whether the singer really means "You'll never know how much I love you," because the loneliness in her voice is so palpable. As always, Sutton's band is entirely sympathetic, their unfussy arrangements providing Sutton with the tonal foundation her unorthodox interpretations require. Her use of two bassists on some tracks doesn't weigh the music down but instead reinforces the darkness Sutton so convincingly conveys. And pianist Christian Jacob, especially, is a major presence — Sutton's sole accompanist on the album-closing "Smile" (the Chaplin's fave) is bluesy and mournful, the perfect complement to Sutton's unsmiling take. What's most interesting about On the Other Side, though, is that ultimately it doesn't feel like a downer. Sutton's voice is such a flexible, captivating instrument that it's a joy to follow, even as she's doing everything in her power to spread a frown. This CD was nominated for a Grammy award in 2007 for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Tierney Sutton
I'm With The Band
by Jonathan Widran
Since popping into our collective jazz consciousness as a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocal Competition in 1998 and signing with Telarc Jazz a few years later, the versatile stylist Sutton Tierney has carved a unique career around theme-centered recordings — most notably with Unsung Heroes (featuring sung renditions of songs normally done as instrumentals) and Blue in Green(a tribute record to Bill Evans). Her creativity with tempo, song selection, and witty modulations is at full-throttle on her fifth disc for the label, I'm with the Band, an hour-long set recorded live at Birdland in March 2005. Though she's clearly the star and her ensemble is always in her service, the album title and cover photo beautifully illustrate the mutual love she and her brilliant bandmates have shared for ten years. Each tune has space for Tierney to shine and improvise over simple harmonic and rhythmic support before she lets them break free. On the opening track, "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," she swings via words and scat over pianist CJ's alternately dark and light chordings, and drummer RB's brisk brushes; then Jacob rolls with a feisty solo as Brinker and bassists Kevin Axt and TH groove behind him. "Let's Face the Music and Dance" features their very gentle support behind her restrained and thoughtful reflections, while Tierney and her rhythm section render "'S Wonderful" with a wistful wink. Tierney has her moments of gentle and poignant romance ("If I Loved You"), but is clearly having the most fun when she's moving at a faster tempo, alternating words and scat so effortlessly and seamlessly that you don't realize she's shifting back and forth. This disc is live jazz at its best and is destined to be a classic.
Tierney Sutton
Dancing In The Dark
by Chris Nickson
This isn't Sutton's tribute to Sinatra, although all the material here was recorded and made famous by him. Instead, it's her working through the nooks and crannies of his songbook, and bringing things out and putting her own particular polish on them. It could be something with strings, such as "What'll I Do?" or the intimacy of "I'll Be Around," which is as much a plea as a reassurance and resignation. Her version of "I Think of You," whose melody comes originally from Rachmaninov, is gloriously subtle, the emotion as softly drawn out as the syllables. "I Could Have Told You" offers comfort and a shoulder to cry on, a gentle embrace that's almost a whisper in Sutton's hands. The music here is at its best when the orchestra keeps away — they simply become overkill, the too-sweet icing on an already-delicious cake. Perhaps her biggest test, though, comes at the end of the album, tackling "Fly Me to the Moon," followed by a medley of "Last Dance" and "Dancing in the Dark," taking on some of Sinatra's most famous pieces. While on the former Sutton doesn't always dig to the absolute heart of the song, the arrangement is stunning, with some outstanding piano from CJ that frees the songs from its '50s shackles. Sutton does sparkle on the other piece, however, especially "Dancing in the Dark," where the orchestral contributions are kept to a minimum, and the tracks swings in a minimalist fashion, Sutton's voice imbued with the magic of the night. The album might have been inspired by Sinatra, but in her own way, Sutton has gone beyond her inspiration.
Tierney Sutton
Something Cool
by Paula Edelstein
Tierney Sutton warms the soul with Something Cool. This offering, her third as a leader for the Telarc label, finds the vocalist using an array of vocal techniques, jazz styles, and formats on 14 great songs by several Great American Songbook composers, Bobby Troup, and the masterful Duke. Sutton is accompanied by her longtime trio of CJ on piano, TH on bass, and RB on drums. The lovely vocalist/educator charms her listeners with elongated phrasings, a strong rhythmic sense, and amazing improvisational abilities on three Lerner & Loewe themes from the Broadway musical My Fair Lady. In addition to the outstanding vocal treatments she offers her listeners on these classic songs, Sutton scats and swings through an amazing "Ding, Dong! The Witch Is Dead." This song not only shows her versatility with tempo changes and range, but also displays her unique talent for selecting songs commonly associated with another musical style and improvising them in a jazz context. She garnered international critical acclaim for this technique on her 1999 release titled Unsung Heroes. Additional highlights include Howard Dietz's "Alone Together," on which she duets with bassist TH, and her exceptional rendition of "The Best Is Yet to Come," which features her cool jazz vocal skills. Tierney Sutton is at her finest on this program and offers an impeccable selection of songs that showcase her distinct musical personality and quality sound.
Tierney Sutton
Blue in Green
by Ken Dryden
There have been a number of tributes to Bill Evans since the pianist's death in 1980, including a few by singers. But this CD by Tierney Sutton (only her third as a leader) is not only wide-ranging in its scope, as it draws songs from throughout his career, but the often innovative arrangements bring a freshness to the music. Sutton doesn't resort to loud theatrics but swings hard when necessary while focusing on the melody, and also gives her supporting trio (pianist CJ, bassist TH, and drummer RB) space to play. Evans' songs include a haunting "Blue in Green" (a modal gem credited to Miles but claimed by the pianist as his work) with a touching lyric by M. d'Ambrosio, the mournful "Turn Out the Stars," a magical deliberate take of "Very Early," and an enticing medley of two of Evans' ballads written in honor of two young ladies, "Waltz for Debby" (for his niece) and "Tiffany" (for drummer Joe LaBarbera's infant daughter, who later composed the lyrics to this song as a teenager; Joe takes over the drums on this one song). The brisk "Autumn Leaves" is given a dramatic facelift with some fine scatting by Sutton and a wonderful reworking of the chord structure, and the calypso-flavored introduction to "Someday My Prince Will Come" is a high point, too. Ken Wild takes over on bass for the enchanting piano-less arrangement of "Sometime Ago," playing an ostinato pattern and supplying a soft backing scat vocal on this catchy chart. This outstanding release by Tierney Sutton should be considered an essential acquisition by fans of jazz singers and music associated with or written by Bill.
Tierney Sutton
Unsung Heroes
by Rick Anderson
Tierney Sutton's light, sweet voice is not yet as familiar to most jazz fans as those of Ella or Sarah, but on the evidence of her first two albums, it deserves to be. Her flexibility and control are world-class, and she has a sense of taste that has never failed her on record; although her technique is superb, she never seems to be showing off. Unsung Heroes doesn't quite achieve the magic of her debut (Introducing Tierney Sutton, on A Records), but it's never less than entrancing: the program consists of jazz standards that are more commonly performed as instrumentals (hence the album's title), and her interpretations of "Indiana/Donna Lee" and "When Lights Are Low" are effortlessly charming; her take on the Dizzy's classic "Con Alma," with its slightly eerie a capella intro, is especially strong. Sutton is supported primarily by her longtime quartet, pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Trey Henry, and drummer Ray Brinker. Highly recommended.
Tierney Sutton
Introducing Tierney Sutton
by Rick Anderson
Tierney Sutton has the kind of voice that you can take for granted. After just a couple of tunes, you know you can relax — she's not going to flub a note, she's not going to screech trying to reach beyond her range, she's not going to show off. That frees you up to sit back, close your eyes, and alternate between wonder at her pure technique and rapt enjoyment of her artistry. Sutton's debut album is a program of standards (not to say potboilers): "The Song Is You," "My Heart Stood Still," "It Never Entered My Mind," like that. But even if you've heard all these songs a hundred times before, you'll still love this album. Not because she brings anything particularly surprising or revelatory to this repertoire, but because she sheds such a warm, sweet light on the songs that it's a pleasure to hear them again. Sometimes she surprises, as on the voice/bass duet arrangements of "In Love in Vain" and "My Heart Stood Still," which are two of this album's many highlights, or with startling scat excursions where you don't necessarily expect them. Other times she evokes Ella Fitzgerald at her peak, as on her rendition of "Caravan." But she never disappoints.
Monday, June 07, 2010
Discussion: Enrico Pieranunzi Trio Live in Paris or in Japan ?
Sempre considerei Enrico Pieranunzi como um dos maiores do Jazz, estou constantemente a procura de novos cd's a serem lançados por este que considero um dos genios do Jazz. Quero discutir com aqueles que gostam do pianista italiano, qual entre as duas gravações ao vivo, é a preferida. As duas sessões na minha opinião são excelentes, mas prefiro a do Japão. Vale lembrar que os repertórios e os trios são distintos.
Na duvida escute-os outra vez e leiam os reviews abaixo, boa audição:
LIVE IN PARIS
By Chris May
Gorgeously lyrical but unpredictable and open to free jazz, Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi always delights. His recordings, which are now frequent going on prolific, move the scenery around so that he rarely plays in the same context twice running. Highlights from the last year or so have ranged from the spare and spacey explorations of Doorways(with Paul Motian and Chris Potter) through the rhapsodic accessibility of Play Morricone(with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron).
Live In Paris, a double-CD set recorded at Le Duc Des Lombards club over three nights in October 2001, sits somewhere between those two albums: it's more conventionally melodic than Doorways, but further off-the-book and impressionistic than Play Morricone. The album reunites Pieranunzi with bassist/producer Hein Van De Geyn and drummer Andre Ceccarelli, incisive accompanists and quirkily inventive soloists, with whom he recorded Seaward in 1994.
Most of the tunes are standards, but whereas Pieranunzi stayed close to the original scores on Play Morricone, typically embellishing the themes rather than improvising on their changes, here he takes a more elliptical approach, alluding only briefly to the melodies before taking off into the unknown. Coleman Hawkins famously never directly stated the theme on his signature 1939 reading of "Body And Soul." And Pieranunzi, while he references fragments of the top line (probably less familiar to jazz fans today than it was in Hawkins' time), himself only gives it the briefest of nods.
The trio approaches "Someday My Prince Will Come," "What Is This Thing Called Love," "I Fall In Love Too Easily," "Autumn Leaves" and "But Not For Me" from similarly oblique angles: they're flight paths to adventure, rather than gentle cruises around the Great American Songbook. "But Not For Me" in particular is outstanding. The group storm out at a furious pace, and Pieranunzi radically reshapes the theme with dissonant upper keyboard note clusters, which ring out like cracked bells over Ceccarelli's explosive drums. It's exhilarating, and at just over five minutes, a small masterpiece.
The most exquisite magic, however, comes on a thirty-minute/three-track sequence towards the end of the second disc, starting with a balletically graceful reinvention of Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz," which moves between 3/4 and 4/4, dancing nimbly and prettily en pointe all the time. That's followed by Pieranunzi's Satie-esque "One Lone Star," all filigreed single-note piano lines suspended over treble-end arco bass and dreamy brushwork, and another fine original, "Una Piccola Chiave Dorata," slightly more expansive but still essentially miniaturised and intimate. A muscular "Autumn Leaves" closes things out.
Lovely, fresh and thoughtful music, occasionally erupting into passionate ferocity, and full of unexpected twists and turns throughout its journey.
Track listing: CD1: Introduction; Ouverthree; Body And Soul; I Hear A Rhapsody; Footprints; I Fall In Love Too Easily; But Not For Me; Hindsight. CD2: Someday My Prince Will Come; What Is This Thing Called Love; Jitterbug Waltz; One Lone Star; Una Piccola Chiave Dorata; Autumn Leaves.
Personnel: Enrico Pieranunzi: piano; Hein Van De Geyn: bass; Andre Ceccarelli: drums.
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ANOTHER REVIEW
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by Ken Dryden
It is a tremendous challenge to find a fresh approach to standards and frequently performed jazz compositions. But pianist Enrico Pieranunzi is up to the task in this collection of live trio performances from 2001 in Paris. He is accompanied by two of Europe's finest musicians, bassist Hein Van de Geyn and drummer André Ceccarelli (who worked together in singer Dee Dee Bridgewater's band). The leader's take of "Body and Soul" includes a fluttering introduction and some dazzling Tatum-like runs. "I Hear a Rhapsody" is transformed into a daredevil post-bop anthem, while Van de Geyn introduces "I Fall in Love Too Easily" with a heartfelt solo. But the big surprise is their playful take of "Someday My Prince Will Come," which sounds more like a nightmare than a dream! Pieranunzi's off-centered arrangement of W.Shorter's modal masterpiece "Footprints" is full of tension, though his approach to Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" is fairly restrained. The leader contributed several originals, including the moody ballad "One Lone Star" and the more upbeat "Una Piccola Chiave Dorata." The support of the rhythm section is an essential ingredient throughout this highly recommended two-CD set.
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LIVE IN JAPAN
by C. Michael Bailey
I suspect that at least a gazillion electrons have been sacrificed to the obvious influence that Bill Evans had on Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi...and I am going to offer up a few million more. Pieranunzi is well-studied in the Evans musical method, even establishing a temporal connection to Evans through bassist Marc Johnson, who performed with Evans on the late pianists final monolithic sets, Last Waltz and Consecration.
Johnson has show up regularly in Pieranunzi's groups, documented on Untold Stories, Ballads, and Paly Morricone. The latter of these employs drummer Joey Baron, collectively making up Pieranunzi's current trio performing on the two-disc Live in Japan.
Enrico Pieranunzi is that rare combination of scientist and poet, a musical Galileo who plays with a quiet certainty and powerfully invisible confidence. To end my comparisons with Evans, where Evans was painfully introverted, Pieranunzi is potently, but not overbearingly, extroverted. Pieranunzi's compositions and performances are concrete and perfectly conceived, lacking the vaporous aphorisms characteristic of Evan's playing. Compositionally, the trio's recital is devoted to the pianist, the trio, and a favorite Pieranunzi composer, Ennio Morricone.
The trio carefully crafts its collective efforts empathically, as easily as breathing. If it is even possible for a trio to be more comfortable than Keith Jarrett's Standards Trio it is this one. Pieranunzi, Johnson and Baron sound genetically linked to understand one anothers' dynamics, strengths, and weaknesses, if there are any. Each member is equally generous in their allowance of solo time to the others as well as their support of each other in such. All solos sound perfectly placed, never allowing the performance to sound rote and become boring. This recital seems so perfectly conceived and executed that it defies any meaningful analysis except that it is one of the finest trio recordings of 2007.
Track listing: CD1: Aurora Giapponese; Impronippo; How Can You Not?; If Only For A Time; Mio Caro Dottor Grasler; Musashi; Improleaves. CD2: Winter Moon; Broken Time; Tokyo Reflections; Nuovo Cinema Paradiso; Ninfa Pleba; When I Think Of You; Improminor.
Personnel: Joey Baron: drums; Marc Johnson: bass; Enrico Pieranunzi: piano.
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ANOTHER REVIEW
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By John Kelman
By no means a newcomer to the scene, Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi's star has only begun to rise significantly in North America in the past couple of years, with albums including the outstanding FelliniJazz (Cam Jazz, 2004) and Plays Morricone (Cam Jazz, 2005) finally more readily available. The double-disc Live in Japan, recorded in the spring of 2004, shortly ahead of the session for Ballads (Cam Jazz, 2006), captures the pianist once again in the company of bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron—occasional companions, if not an ongoing working group, since the turn of the century.
Pieranunzi's impressionistic romanticism has often been compared to the legendary Bill Evans, but his penchant for focusing on material by Italian composers, in addition to his own writing, has often lent his work a distinctive Mediterranean vibe. But his collaboration with drummer Paul Motian on the freer but no less beautiful Doorways (Cam Jazz, 2005) demonstrated a more angular mindset that's an equal part of his overall approach, and is as much a component of Live in Japan as is gently balladry, straight-ahead swing and unmistakable lyricism.
Nearly half of this 100-minute performance is, in fact, devoted to free improvisation, but never without focus or collective intent. The 15-minute "Improleaves" deals largely in abstraction, but occasionally finds itself approaching—though never quite reaching—"Autumn Leaves," not to mention an on-again off-again pulse. Pieranunzi's "Aurora Giapponese" is a hauntingly beautiful overture that leads into the more extended "Impronippo," where Johnson's robust bass solo leads the trio into free territory. Brief references to standards like "All the Things You Are" are only a kind of baton-passing relay where Pieranunzi's deft touch may be the apparent dominant voice, but is really just one voice in a democratic three-way conversation.
Johnson and Baron's work together in recent years for artists including guitarist John Abercrombie and pianist John Taylor, and on the bassist's own superb Shades of Jade (ECM, 2005), suggests a rhythm section that will be looked upon with the same reverence as those of Scott LaFaro/Paul Motian and Ron Carter/Tony Williams. Infinitely flexible and unfailingly intuitive, there seems to be no limit to their musical reach.
The balance of the program consists of Pieranunzi originals, four by film scorer Ennio Morricone, and one by Baron, the open-ended "Broken Time." The set seems to go by in an instant, and while there are breaks for applause, they're hardly noticed. In turns energetic, elegant and elusive, Live in Japan is a thoroughly compelling release that positions Pieranunzi, Johnson and Baron in the upper echelon of piano trios, and will certainly go down as one of the best trio records of 2007.
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ANOTHER REVIEW
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by Ken Dryden
Enrico Pieranunzi has long been recognized as one of the best European jazz pianists. This two-CD set with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron, not actually a regular trio but one whose members have worked together on a number of occasions over two decades, was recorded during a concert tour of Japan in the spring of 2004, with selections taken from a number of different venues. Three engaging extended trio improvisations upon familiar standards are the highlight of this collection, though the pianist's delicious jazz waltz "How Can You Not?" and moody ballad "If Only for a Time" leave lasting impressions. The trio also explores four originals by noted Italian film composer Ennio Morricone, highlighted by the dramatic interpretation of "Musashi," in which the pianist's lyricism is complemented by Johnson and Baron's sensitive accompaniment. The spirit of Bill Evans is often present in Enrico Pieranunzi's playing throughout this collection, though it never takes over his musical persona. Highly recommended.
Na duvida escute-os outra vez e leiam os reviews abaixo, boa audição:
LIVE IN PARIS
By Chris May
Gorgeously lyrical but unpredictable and open to free jazz, Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi always delights. His recordings, which are now frequent going on prolific, move the scenery around so that he rarely plays in the same context twice running. Highlights from the last year or so have ranged from the spare and spacey explorations of Doorways(with Paul Motian and Chris Potter) through the rhapsodic accessibility of Play Morricone(with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron).
Live In Paris, a double-CD set recorded at Le Duc Des Lombards club over three nights in October 2001, sits somewhere between those two albums: it's more conventionally melodic than Doorways, but further off-the-book and impressionistic than Play Morricone. The album reunites Pieranunzi with bassist/producer Hein Van De Geyn and drummer Andre Ceccarelli, incisive accompanists and quirkily inventive soloists, with whom he recorded Seaward in 1994.
Most of the tunes are standards, but whereas Pieranunzi stayed close to the original scores on Play Morricone, typically embellishing the themes rather than improvising on their changes, here he takes a more elliptical approach, alluding only briefly to the melodies before taking off into the unknown. Coleman Hawkins famously never directly stated the theme on his signature 1939 reading of "Body And Soul." And Pieranunzi, while he references fragments of the top line (probably less familiar to jazz fans today than it was in Hawkins' time), himself only gives it the briefest of nods.
The trio approaches "Someday My Prince Will Come," "What Is This Thing Called Love," "I Fall In Love Too Easily," "Autumn Leaves" and "But Not For Me" from similarly oblique angles: they're flight paths to adventure, rather than gentle cruises around the Great American Songbook. "But Not For Me" in particular is outstanding. The group storm out at a furious pace, and Pieranunzi radically reshapes the theme with dissonant upper keyboard note clusters, which ring out like cracked bells over Ceccarelli's explosive drums. It's exhilarating, and at just over five minutes, a small masterpiece.
The most exquisite magic, however, comes on a thirty-minute/three-track sequence towards the end of the second disc, starting with a balletically graceful reinvention of Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz," which moves between 3/4 and 4/4, dancing nimbly and prettily en pointe all the time. That's followed by Pieranunzi's Satie-esque "One Lone Star," all filigreed single-note piano lines suspended over treble-end arco bass and dreamy brushwork, and another fine original, "Una Piccola Chiave Dorata," slightly more expansive but still essentially miniaturised and intimate. A muscular "Autumn Leaves" closes things out.
Lovely, fresh and thoughtful music, occasionally erupting into passionate ferocity, and full of unexpected twists and turns throughout its journey.
Track listing: CD1: Introduction; Ouverthree; Body And Soul; I Hear A Rhapsody; Footprints; I Fall In Love Too Easily; But Not For Me; Hindsight. CD2: Someday My Prince Will Come; What Is This Thing Called Love; Jitterbug Waltz; One Lone Star; Una Piccola Chiave Dorata; Autumn Leaves.
Personnel: Enrico Pieranunzi: piano; Hein Van De Geyn: bass; Andre Ceccarelli: drums.
////////////////
ANOTHER REVIEW
////////////////
by Ken Dryden
It is a tremendous challenge to find a fresh approach to standards and frequently performed jazz compositions. But pianist Enrico Pieranunzi is up to the task in this collection of live trio performances from 2001 in Paris. He is accompanied by two of Europe's finest musicians, bassist Hein Van de Geyn and drummer André Ceccarelli (who worked together in singer Dee Dee Bridgewater's band). The leader's take of "Body and Soul" includes a fluttering introduction and some dazzling Tatum-like runs. "I Hear a Rhapsody" is transformed into a daredevil post-bop anthem, while Van de Geyn introduces "I Fall in Love Too Easily" with a heartfelt solo. But the big surprise is their playful take of "Someday My Prince Will Come," which sounds more like a nightmare than a dream! Pieranunzi's off-centered arrangement of W.Shorter's modal masterpiece "Footprints" is full of tension, though his approach to Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" is fairly restrained. The leader contributed several originals, including the moody ballad "One Lone Star" and the more upbeat "Una Piccola Chiave Dorata." The support of the rhythm section is an essential ingredient throughout this highly recommended two-CD set.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
LIVE IN JAPAN
by C. Michael Bailey
I suspect that at least a gazillion electrons have been sacrificed to the obvious influence that Bill Evans had on Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi...and I am going to offer up a few million more. Pieranunzi is well-studied in the Evans musical method, even establishing a temporal connection to Evans through bassist Marc Johnson, who performed with Evans on the late pianists final monolithic sets, Last Waltz and Consecration.
Johnson has show up regularly in Pieranunzi's groups, documented on Untold Stories, Ballads, and Paly Morricone. The latter of these employs drummer Joey Baron, collectively making up Pieranunzi's current trio performing on the two-disc Live in Japan.
Enrico Pieranunzi is that rare combination of scientist and poet, a musical Galileo who plays with a quiet certainty and powerfully invisible confidence. To end my comparisons with Evans, where Evans was painfully introverted, Pieranunzi is potently, but not overbearingly, extroverted. Pieranunzi's compositions and performances are concrete and perfectly conceived, lacking the vaporous aphorisms characteristic of Evan's playing. Compositionally, the trio's recital is devoted to the pianist, the trio, and a favorite Pieranunzi composer, Ennio Morricone.
The trio carefully crafts its collective efforts empathically, as easily as breathing. If it is even possible for a trio to be more comfortable than Keith Jarrett's Standards Trio it is this one. Pieranunzi, Johnson and Baron sound genetically linked to understand one anothers' dynamics, strengths, and weaknesses, if there are any. Each member is equally generous in their allowance of solo time to the others as well as their support of each other in such. All solos sound perfectly placed, never allowing the performance to sound rote and become boring. This recital seems so perfectly conceived and executed that it defies any meaningful analysis except that it is one of the finest trio recordings of 2007.
Track listing: CD1: Aurora Giapponese; Impronippo; How Can You Not?; If Only For A Time; Mio Caro Dottor Grasler; Musashi; Improleaves. CD2: Winter Moon; Broken Time; Tokyo Reflections; Nuovo Cinema Paradiso; Ninfa Pleba; When I Think Of You; Improminor.
Personnel: Joey Baron: drums; Marc Johnson: bass; Enrico Pieranunzi: piano.
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ANOTHER REVIEW
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By John Kelman
By no means a newcomer to the scene, Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi's star has only begun to rise significantly in North America in the past couple of years, with albums including the outstanding FelliniJazz (Cam Jazz, 2004) and Plays Morricone (Cam Jazz, 2005) finally more readily available. The double-disc Live in Japan, recorded in the spring of 2004, shortly ahead of the session for Ballads (Cam Jazz, 2006), captures the pianist once again in the company of bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron—occasional companions, if not an ongoing working group, since the turn of the century.
Pieranunzi's impressionistic romanticism has often been compared to the legendary Bill Evans, but his penchant for focusing on material by Italian composers, in addition to his own writing, has often lent his work a distinctive Mediterranean vibe. But his collaboration with drummer Paul Motian on the freer but no less beautiful Doorways (Cam Jazz, 2005) demonstrated a more angular mindset that's an equal part of his overall approach, and is as much a component of Live in Japan as is gently balladry, straight-ahead swing and unmistakable lyricism.
Nearly half of this 100-minute performance is, in fact, devoted to free improvisation, but never without focus or collective intent. The 15-minute "Improleaves" deals largely in abstraction, but occasionally finds itself approaching—though never quite reaching—"Autumn Leaves," not to mention an on-again off-again pulse. Pieranunzi's "Aurora Giapponese" is a hauntingly beautiful overture that leads into the more extended "Impronippo," where Johnson's robust bass solo leads the trio into free territory. Brief references to standards like "All the Things You Are" are only a kind of baton-passing relay where Pieranunzi's deft touch may be the apparent dominant voice, but is really just one voice in a democratic three-way conversation.
Johnson and Baron's work together in recent years for artists including guitarist John Abercrombie and pianist John Taylor, and on the bassist's own superb Shades of Jade (ECM, 2005), suggests a rhythm section that will be looked upon with the same reverence as those of Scott LaFaro/Paul Motian and Ron Carter/Tony Williams. Infinitely flexible and unfailingly intuitive, there seems to be no limit to their musical reach.
The balance of the program consists of Pieranunzi originals, four by film scorer Ennio Morricone, and one by Baron, the open-ended "Broken Time." The set seems to go by in an instant, and while there are breaks for applause, they're hardly noticed. In turns energetic, elegant and elusive, Live in Japan is a thoroughly compelling release that positions Pieranunzi, Johnson and Baron in the upper echelon of piano trios, and will certainly go down as one of the best trio records of 2007.
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ANOTHER REVIEW
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by Ken Dryden
Enrico Pieranunzi has long been recognized as one of the best European jazz pianists. This two-CD set with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron, not actually a regular trio but one whose members have worked together on a number of occasions over two decades, was recorded during a concert tour of Japan in the spring of 2004, with selections taken from a number of different venues. Three engaging extended trio improvisations upon familiar standards are the highlight of this collection, though the pianist's delicious jazz waltz "How Can You Not?" and moody ballad "If Only for a Time" leave lasting impressions. The trio also explores four originals by noted Italian film composer Ennio Morricone, highlighted by the dramatic interpretation of "Musashi," in which the pianist's lyricism is complemented by Johnson and Baron's sensitive accompaniment. The spirit of Bill Evans is often present in Enrico Pieranunzi's playing throughout this collection, though it never takes over his musical persona. Highly recommended.
1 Sem. 2010 - Part Two
Denny Zeitlin
by Michael G. Nastos
Denny Zeitlin's career as one of the greatest but woefully under-appreciated modern jazz pianists, may have taken a turn with the release of his early period Mosaic/Columbia trio reissue studio sessions, and several fine recordings for the Sunnyside label. This solo concert done at the Ralston House in Santa Barbara, CA recalls older standard favorites of Zeitlin's and adds on some of his beautifully conceived originals, exuding a spirit that suggests both renewal and determination of continuance. As a diversified modernist, Zeitlin is as easily capable of playing beautifully as he is of ripping up be-bop, but it is his advanced harmonic sense that sets him above and beyond most others. He's also capable of modal music, interpretations of show tunes, funky underpinnings, or introspective sounds that reflect his influences — Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Thelonious Monk. Perhaps originals like the playful, active "On the March" gives you more an indication of how ultra-melodic a performer Zeitlin can be, but when you hear the rhapsodic, romantic "The We of Us" there are more layers to reveal. Always a champion of jazz giants, Zeitlin tears the speedy Sonny Rollins bop standard "Oleo" as if child's play, and uses soul-stirring, cascading harmonics during Wayne Shorter's lesser-known "Deluge." Whether in tricky time signature, loving discourse of lyrical proportions, or the occasional angular flight of fancy, Denny Zeitlin's expertise shines through familiar music and the spontaneously derived jazz that marks his a true master of the idiom, time after time.
By Leonardo Barroso
Precipice
by Michael G. Nastos
Denny Zeitlin's career as one of the greatest but woefully under-appreciated modern jazz pianists, may have taken a turn with the release of his early period Mosaic/Columbia trio reissue studio sessions, and several fine recordings for the Sunnyside label. This solo concert done at the Ralston House in Santa Barbara, CA recalls older standard favorites of Zeitlin's and adds on some of his beautifully conceived originals, exuding a spirit that suggests both renewal and determination of continuance. As a diversified modernist, Zeitlin is as easily capable of playing beautifully as he is of ripping up be-bop, but it is his advanced harmonic sense that sets him above and beyond most others. He's also capable of modal music, interpretations of show tunes, funky underpinnings, or introspective sounds that reflect his influences — Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Thelonious Monk. Perhaps originals like the playful, active "On the March" gives you more an indication of how ultra-melodic a performer Zeitlin can be, but when you hear the rhapsodic, romantic "The We of Us" there are more layers to reveal. Always a champion of jazz giants, Zeitlin tears the speedy Sonny Rollins bop standard "Oleo" as if child's play, and uses soul-stirring, cascading harmonics during Wayne Shorter's lesser-known "Deluge." Whether in tricky time signature, loving discourse of lyrical proportions, or the occasional angular flight of fancy, Denny Zeitlin's expertise shines through familiar music and the spontaneously derived jazz that marks his a true master of the idiom, time after time.
Jacky Terrasson
Push
by Michael G. Nastos
Jacky Terrasson's 11th CD and first for the Concord label is a lively affair, mostly in a trio setting with special guests spotted in, that addresses various avenues of contemporary jazz styles. Pop and Afro-Cuban or even South African flavors are sprinkled in with the technically challenging bop that the pianist excels in. Thelonious Monk Award-winning bassist from Michigan State University Ben Williams is in on this one, as well as cameo appearances from Gregoire Maret on harmonica and saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart amidst Terrasson's acoustic piano, occasional electric keyboards, and some vocalizing. Echoes of Jarrett, Flynn, or Ibrahim creep in as the gifted and oftentimes brilliant Terrasson bobs and weaves through this set of originals and highly modified versions of familiar tunes. A blurring fast "Beat Bop" hopped up with synthesizer accents, the contemporary "O Cafe, O Soleil" with Cyro Baptista's percussion work and handclapping reveling in the Capetown joy of Ibrahim, and the deliberate modal soul-funk of "Morning" all showcase vastly different interests for Terrasson. The pleasant pop trio jazz of "Gaux Girl" recalls Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl," while the combination of Jackson's "Beat It" with the revered standard "Body and Soul" might seem odd until you hear Terrasson's free jazz tinkling to rubato and modal ideas, a thoroughly contemporary development, even adding a waltz tempo. There are stock or straight-laced versions of "'Round Midnight" and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" that in this collection sound unusually common, but are played with a high degree of artistry and prowess. Push is one of Terrasson's most enjoyable and diverse recordings, a fine display of how he has both grown apart from what might be musically fashionable and matured exponentially.
Renato Sellani Trio
Grand Piano: The Music Of Michel Legrand
By Leonardo Barroso
Desde que conheci o pianista Renato Sellani, sempre achei parecido com o finado Hank Jones. Sendo assim nunca foi dos meus favoritos. Porem alguns discos causam surpresa, como este com músicas somente do grande Michel Legrand, acompanhado dos músicos Massimo Manzi(Drums) e Massimo Moriconi(Bass) e de várias das melhores músicas do mundo. Um CD para ouvir com prazer. Alguem sabe a marca do piano nesta gravação ?
Stefano Bollani
Stone In The Water
Push
by Michael G. Nastos
Jacky Terrasson's 11th CD and first for the Concord label is a lively affair, mostly in a trio setting with special guests spotted in, that addresses various avenues of contemporary jazz styles. Pop and Afro-Cuban or even South African flavors are sprinkled in with the technically challenging bop that the pianist excels in. Thelonious Monk Award-winning bassist from Michigan State University Ben Williams is in on this one, as well as cameo appearances from Gregoire Maret on harmonica and saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart amidst Terrasson's acoustic piano, occasional electric keyboards, and some vocalizing. Echoes of Jarrett, Flynn, or Ibrahim creep in as the gifted and oftentimes brilliant Terrasson bobs and weaves through this set of originals and highly modified versions of familiar tunes. A blurring fast "Beat Bop" hopped up with synthesizer accents, the contemporary "O Cafe, O Soleil" with Cyro Baptista's percussion work and handclapping reveling in the Capetown joy of Ibrahim, and the deliberate modal soul-funk of "Morning" all showcase vastly different interests for Terrasson. The pleasant pop trio jazz of "Gaux Girl" recalls Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl," while the combination of Jackson's "Beat It" with the revered standard "Body and Soul" might seem odd until you hear Terrasson's free jazz tinkling to rubato and modal ideas, a thoroughly contemporary development, even adding a waltz tempo. There are stock or straight-laced versions of "'Round Midnight" and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" that in this collection sound unusually common, but are played with a high degree of artistry and prowess. Push is one of Terrasson's most enjoyable and diverse recordings, a fine display of how he has both grown apart from what might be musically fashionable and matured exponentially.
Renato Sellani Trio
Grand Piano: The Music Of Michel Legrand
By Leonardo Barroso
Desde que conheci o pianista Renato Sellani, sempre achei parecido com o finado Hank Jones. Sendo assim nunca foi dos meus favoritos. Porem alguns discos causam surpresa, como este com músicas somente do grande Michel Legrand, acompanhado dos músicos Massimo Manzi(Drums) e Massimo Moriconi(Bass) e de várias das melhores músicas do mundo. Um CD para ouvir com prazer. Alguem sabe a marca do piano nesta gravação ?
Stefano Bollani
Stone In The Water
By Leonardo Barroso
Stefano Bollani é na minha opinião o melhor músico de jazz da atualidade. Suas obras são sempre inovadoras e sempre em busca da melhor formação,ou seja, solo/trio/etc... O trio é o mesmo do otimo Gleda:Songs From Scandinavia, assim sendo assume Bollani seu ego nórdico caracterizado pela beleza de interpretação e firmeza de execução. Na primeira vez que ouvi, não achei este um de seus melhores trabalhos, mas como sempre sua musica vai causando surpresa a medida em que a audição é mais intensa. Não sei ainda se é seu melhor trabalho mas sem duvida, é muito bom !!!!!
By John Kelman
Serendipity can be a wonderful thing. Invited to perform with 2002 JazzPar prize-winner, trumpeter Enrico Rava, pianist and fellow Italian Stefano Bollani first encountered bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Morten Lund when they were proposed as the rhythm section for the Danish award show and a brief tour. The chemistry was on such a deep level that Bollani, Bodilsen, and Lund decided to continue as a trio. Seven years and two albums on the Danish Stunt label later, Stone In The Water finally gives the trio the international exposure it deserves. Aesthetically akin, in some ways, to Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson's trio, it's the year's most sublime piano trio recording, where silence and the power of understatement are as definitive as the virtuosity that underscores this group's uncanny empathy.
Stone In The Water's soft, elegant mix of original material from Bollani and Bodilsen is augmented by two Brazilian songs and—referencing Bollani's ECM leader debut, 2007's Piano Solo—an improvisation based on the music of classical composer Francois Poulenc. Each player's fluidity alone combines into a one-hour set that occasionally comes to a simmer , as it does on Bollani's "Asuda," but never reaches a boil; a very good thing as the trio seems to hover over that tipping point, creating a delicate strength that contrasts with profound implication.
Bollani may play Rava's Puckish foil when the two perform together as a duo but, despite no shortage of improvisational playfulness here, it's less comedic, and more finely attuned to the inherent compositional beauty. Brazilian songwriter Caetano Veloso's "Dom de iludir" opens the disc, with decaying notes, spare chords, and economical yet powerful melodies setting the tone for the rest of the disc. In a true evolution of the Bill Evans tradition, Bodilsen provides a consistent lyrical foil for Bollani and, when it's the pianist out front, the bassist's unerringly modest choices make this a definitive reading.
Modest is a good way to describe this trio. Despite its clear facility, this is a listening trio, with egos checked at the door. Lund, in particular, impresses with his refined sense of swing and unfailing allegiance to a groupspeak that's about collective voice rather than individual grandstanding.
And yet, it's impossible not to appreciate this trio's harmonic sophistication and overall technical skill, as it refines and modernizes a jazz tradition merged with European impressionism. "Bollani's "Il cirvello del pavone" may begin with a hint of Monk-ish angularity, but Bollani's light, dancing touch is a far cry from the legendary pianist's quirky ideation, as the piece moves to a bass solo where support is so elusive as to only reveal itself when taken as the sum of its parts.
Whether it's the more heated exchange of Bollani's solo on "Il cirvello" or the darker exchange on Bodilsen's indigo-shaded "Edith," Stone In The Water lives up to its name. Like ever expanding ripples, this trio's music is a constantly expanding soundscape of color and finely honed lyricism; the culmination of seven years playing with egos in check and ears wide open.
Track listing:
Don de iludir; Orvieto; Edith; Brigas nunca mais; Il cervello del pavone; Un sasso nello stagno; Improvisation 13 en la mineur; Asuda; Joker in the village.
Personnel: Stefano Bollani: piano; Jesper Bodilsen: double-bass; Morten Lund: drums.
By John Kelman
Serendipity can be a wonderful thing. Invited to perform with 2002 JazzPar prize-winner, trumpeter Enrico Rava, pianist and fellow Italian Stefano Bollani first encountered bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Morten Lund when they were proposed as the rhythm section for the Danish award show and a brief tour. The chemistry was on such a deep level that Bollani, Bodilsen, and Lund decided to continue as a trio. Seven years and two albums on the Danish Stunt label later, Stone In The Water finally gives the trio the international exposure it deserves. Aesthetically akin, in some ways, to Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson's trio, it's the year's most sublime piano trio recording, where silence and the power of understatement are as definitive as the virtuosity that underscores this group's uncanny empathy.
Stone In The Water's soft, elegant mix of original material from Bollani and Bodilsen is augmented by two Brazilian songs and—referencing Bollani's ECM leader debut, 2007's Piano Solo—an improvisation based on the music of classical composer Francois Poulenc. Each player's fluidity alone combines into a one-hour set that occasionally comes to a simmer , as it does on Bollani's "Asuda," but never reaches a boil; a very good thing as the trio seems to hover over that tipping point, creating a delicate strength that contrasts with profound implication.
Bollani may play Rava's Puckish foil when the two perform together as a duo but, despite no shortage of improvisational playfulness here, it's less comedic, and more finely attuned to the inherent compositional beauty. Brazilian songwriter Caetano Veloso's "Dom de iludir" opens the disc, with decaying notes, spare chords, and economical yet powerful melodies setting the tone for the rest of the disc. In a true evolution of the Bill Evans tradition, Bodilsen provides a consistent lyrical foil for Bollani and, when it's the pianist out front, the bassist's unerringly modest choices make this a definitive reading.
Modest is a good way to describe this trio. Despite its clear facility, this is a listening trio, with egos checked at the door. Lund, in particular, impresses with his refined sense of swing and unfailing allegiance to a groupspeak that's about collective voice rather than individual grandstanding.
And yet, it's impossible not to appreciate this trio's harmonic sophistication and overall technical skill, as it refines and modernizes a jazz tradition merged with European impressionism. "Bollani's "Il cirvello del pavone" may begin with a hint of Monk-ish angularity, but Bollani's light, dancing touch is a far cry from the legendary pianist's quirky ideation, as the piece moves to a bass solo where support is so elusive as to only reveal itself when taken as the sum of its parts.
Whether it's the more heated exchange of Bollani's solo on "Il cirvello" or the darker exchange on Bodilsen's indigo-shaded "Edith," Stone In The Water lives up to its name. Like ever expanding ripples, this trio's music is a constantly expanding soundscape of color and finely honed lyricism; the culmination of seven years playing with egos in check and ears wide open.
Track listing:
Don de iludir; Orvieto; Edith; Brigas nunca mais; Il cervello del pavone; Un sasso nello stagno; Improvisation 13 en la mineur; Asuda; Joker in the village.
Personnel: Stefano Bollani: piano; Jesper Bodilsen: double-bass; Morten Lund: drums.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
1 Sem. 2010 - Part One
Bill Mays
Mays At The Movies
by Ken Dryden
Bill Mays' remarkable career has included stints with Sarah Vaughan and Gerry Mulligan, in addition to an extensive discography as a leader and occasional solo pianist. This trio date with Peter Washington and Billy Drummond marked the first time they had played together as a group, while the lack of rehearsal didn't keep them from sounding like a working unit. Mays conceived this CD as an opportunity to explore some of his favorite songs from movies, kicking off with a lively treatment of I've Never Been in Love Before that adds a few twists to this decades-old standard. The breezy setting of Pure Imagination swings hard, while Mays manages to put his personal stamp on Alex North's Love Theme from Spartacus, a special challenge due to the late Bill Evans' well-known recordings of this haunting ballad. Mays adds a good-natured vocal to You Leave Me Breathless, while Washington's playful exchanges with the leader in the driving take of Henry Mancini's Charade are delightful. The pianist also includes an original that has been heard in more than one film, Judy, an elegant swinger with a humorous detour into quoting Thelonious Monk. If music such as this session were only heard more often in film soundtracks, it would make a noticeable difference.
Brad Mehldau
Highway Rider
By Leonardo Barroso
Estava com "high hopes" com o novo trabalho, de um dos mais inventivos pianistas do jazz de todos os tempos. Porém achei que faltou o que mais aguardava.... JAZZ ! Bonito mas sem sal !
by Thom Jurek
The Highway Rider is pianist and composer Brad Mehldau's second collaboration with enigmatic pop producer Jon Brion. The first was 2002's ambitious but tentative Largo. As a collaboration, The Highway Rider is much more confident by contrast. Mehldau’s most ambitious work to date, its 15 compositions are spread over two discs and 100 minutes. His trio —bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard — is augmented by saxophonist Joshua Redman, drummer Matt Chamberlain, and a chamber orchestra conducted by Dan Coleman. The album is a narrative jazz suite, orchestrated and arranged by Mehldau, though it has much in common with classical and pop music, as well.The group settings range from solo to quintet, with and without strings, all of it recorded live in studio. Redman's addition is welcome. “Don’t Be Sad” features his consoling tenor, Mehldau (on pump organ and piano), Grenadier, and both drummers with orchestra. It begins as a piano solo, languidly establishing a pace that begins to swing with gospel overtones. Later, Redman's lower-register blowing, strings, and winds carry it out joyfully. Brion adds drum‘n’bass overtones to the trio on the title track. The electronics are a narrative device designating motion; they accompany the gradually assertive knottiness in the post-bop lyric. Mehldau begins “The Falcon Will Fly Again” with a complex solo that touches on Latin grooves, even as Chamberlain and Ballard create an organic loop effect with hand percussion. Redman's soprano creates a contrapuntal melody extending the harmonic dialogue. Disc two’s lengthy “We’ll Cross the River Together” has quintet and orchestra engaging in a beautiful study of texture, color, and expansive harmonics with wildly divergent dynamics. It showcases Mehldau’s trademark pianistic elegance in counterpoint. Redman's deep blues tenor nearly weeps on “Sky Turning Grey (For Elliot Smith).” “Capriccio’'s Latin rhythms contrast ideally: Mehldau’s classical, gently dissonant motifs create an exploratory harmonic palette as Redman’s magnetic soprano playing joins Mehldau's in the last third, anchoring the complex melody. The closer, “Always Returning,” builds to a climax that incorporates themes from the cycle. Redman and Mehldau soar with the orchestra before they all close it in a whispering tone poem. By combining sophisticated — yet accessible — forms with jazz improvisation, The Highway Rider exceeds all expectations, giving jazz-classical crossover a good name for a change. It is Mehldau’s most ambitious, creatively unfettered, and deeply emotional work to date, and will stand as a high watermark in his catalog.
The Anthony Wilson Trio
Jack Of Hearts
By Leonardo Barroso
Este para mim, é um dos melhores jazzistas americano, possui ótima noção de arranjo e de escolha de repertório. Neste CD ele traz um mix de ótimas faixas e outras não tão boas. Melhor faixa do ano "Theme from Chinatown" é puro eargasm !!!
by Alex Henderson
Jack of Hearts isn't the first Anthony Wilson album to feature an organist extensively; for example, he worked with the Los Angeles-based organist Joe Bagg on his 2005 release Savivity. But the guitarist has worked with acoustic pianists more often than organists (at least as of 2009), and Jack of Hearts is unusual in that it finds Wilson not using a pianist at all. On this early 2009 session, Wilson forms an intimate trio with Larry Goldings on organ and Jeff Hamilton or Jim Keltner on drums. In the '90s and 2000s, Goldings was one of the leading proponents of a post-Jimmy Smith aesthetic on the Hammond B-3. Goldings has been greatly influenced by the late Larry Young, who started out as a Smith disciple but evolved into an innovative, distinctive post-bop/modal player and went down in history as "The John Coltrane of the Organ." Of course, Goldings is not a clone of Young; he is most certainly his own person, but he shares Young's love of post-bop. So it isn't surprising that Goldings does a lot to shape the post-bop perspective that dominates Jack of Hearts. His presence is a major plus on material that was composed by Goldings and/or Wilson, and it is a major plus on memorable arrangements of Coleman Hawkins' "Hawkeyes" and two of Duke Ellington's lesser-known pieces ("Zweet Zursday" and "Carnegie Blues"). The fact that neither of those Ellington tunes is a standard speaks well of Wilson, who is smart enough to realize that one of the joys of the vast Ellington songbook is hearing all of the worthwhile Ellington compositions that didn't become standards. Jack of Hearts is a consistently engaging addition to Wilson's catalog.
Carlos Franzetti
Mambo Tango
by Ken Dryden
Although Argentinean-born jazz pianist Carlos Franzetti is well-versed in both South American and Cuban styles, don't think of Mambo Tango as strictly a Latin recording. Sticking exclusively to solo piano for this session, his take of "Have You Met Miss Jones" could easily be mistaken for one of the neo-bop players who emerged during the 1980s and 1990s, with inventive improvisations against a walking irregular bassline. It is surprising that relatively few pianists have recorded Gary McFarland's moving "Gary's Waltz," a favorite of the late Bill Evans, who played and recorded it numerous times. But Franzetti's approach is less dramatic and alters the melody in a subtle, infectious way that is far removed from Evans' interpretation. He also tackles Evans' popular "Waltz for Debbie," shading it with an Erroll Garner-like bouncing rhythm for a time against his dazzling improvising in the upper keyboard. Franzetti's originals are equally of interest. His delightful "Mambo Tango" combines the two styles in a masterful performance, while "Milonga del Adios" is a bittersweet Latin ballad that deserves to have lyrics. To wrap this top-notch CD, Carlos Franzetti offers a tantalizing, deliberate setting of Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)." Highly recommended.
Sylvian Luc
Standards
Standards is a clever mix up of improvisations, spontaneous compositions, and famous themes that Sylvain Luc proposes us.
All the possibilities of the acoustic guitar are exploited here with a sensitivity and an emotion directed by a huge strictness.
Here the guitar is sensual and makes us travel.
From a trip at the far end of himself on his own, Sylvain comes back with a music which speaks and even sings to anyone.
Fred Hersch
Plays Jobim
by Ken Dryden
Fred Hersch has long been heralded as a lyrical jazz pianist with a wide and always growing repertoire. For most of this tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hersch plays solo piano, in a manner that reflects much of the authentic aspects of the composer's works, filtered through the pianist's perspective. The emphasis on the delicious counterpoint within his setting of the well-known "O Grande Amor" (a piece he learned during his short tenure in Stan Getz's band) marks a refreshing change from typical jazz recordings. His arrangement of "Insensatez" is almost whispered, played at a very slow tempo, which puts greater emphasis on its melancholy nature, even though no lyrics are heard. "Desafinado" was an obligatory number for jazz musicians during the heyday of bossa nova, but Hersch's skillful, demanding bassline gives it a freshness rarely heard in jazz treatments. The pianist also found several lesser-known but deserving Jobim works in his research for the making of this CD, highlighted by the gorgeous miniature "Por Toda Minha Vida." Percussionist Jamey Haddad is added on the lively "Brigas Nunca Mais." Beautifully recorded on a brilliant-sounding piano, Fred Hersch Plays Jobim is among the finest releases in the pianist's extensive discography.
Mays At The Movies
by Ken Dryden
Bill Mays' remarkable career has included stints with Sarah Vaughan and Gerry Mulligan, in addition to an extensive discography as a leader and occasional solo pianist. This trio date with Peter Washington and Billy Drummond marked the first time they had played together as a group, while the lack of rehearsal didn't keep them from sounding like a working unit. Mays conceived this CD as an opportunity to explore some of his favorite songs from movies, kicking off with a lively treatment of I've Never Been in Love Before that adds a few twists to this decades-old standard. The breezy setting of Pure Imagination swings hard, while Mays manages to put his personal stamp on Alex North's Love Theme from Spartacus, a special challenge due to the late Bill Evans' well-known recordings of this haunting ballad. Mays adds a good-natured vocal to You Leave Me Breathless, while Washington's playful exchanges with the leader in the driving take of Henry Mancini's Charade are delightful. The pianist also includes an original that has been heard in more than one film, Judy, an elegant swinger with a humorous detour into quoting Thelonious Monk. If music such as this session were only heard more often in film soundtracks, it would make a noticeable difference.
Brad Mehldau
Highway Rider
By Leonardo Barroso
Estava com "high hopes" com o novo trabalho, de um dos mais inventivos pianistas do jazz de todos os tempos. Porém achei que faltou o que mais aguardava.... JAZZ ! Bonito mas sem sal !
by Thom Jurek
The Highway Rider is pianist and composer Brad Mehldau's second collaboration with enigmatic pop producer Jon Brion. The first was 2002's ambitious but tentative Largo. As a collaboration, The Highway Rider is much more confident by contrast. Mehldau’s most ambitious work to date, its 15 compositions are spread over two discs and 100 minutes. His trio —bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard — is augmented by saxophonist Joshua Redman, drummer Matt Chamberlain, and a chamber orchestra conducted by Dan Coleman. The album is a narrative jazz suite, orchestrated and arranged by Mehldau, though it has much in common with classical and pop music, as well.The group settings range from solo to quintet, with and without strings, all of it recorded live in studio. Redman's addition is welcome. “Don’t Be Sad” features his consoling tenor, Mehldau (on pump organ and piano), Grenadier, and both drummers with orchestra. It begins as a piano solo, languidly establishing a pace that begins to swing with gospel overtones. Later, Redman's lower-register blowing, strings, and winds carry it out joyfully. Brion adds drum‘n’bass overtones to the trio on the title track. The electronics are a narrative device designating motion; they accompany the gradually assertive knottiness in the post-bop lyric. Mehldau begins “The Falcon Will Fly Again” with a complex solo that touches on Latin grooves, even as Chamberlain and Ballard create an organic loop effect with hand percussion. Redman's soprano creates a contrapuntal melody extending the harmonic dialogue. Disc two’s lengthy “We’ll Cross the River Together” has quintet and orchestra engaging in a beautiful study of texture, color, and expansive harmonics with wildly divergent dynamics. It showcases Mehldau’s trademark pianistic elegance in counterpoint. Redman's deep blues tenor nearly weeps on “Sky Turning Grey (For Elliot Smith).” “Capriccio’'s Latin rhythms contrast ideally: Mehldau’s classical, gently dissonant motifs create an exploratory harmonic palette as Redman’s magnetic soprano playing joins Mehldau's in the last third, anchoring the complex melody. The closer, “Always Returning,” builds to a climax that incorporates themes from the cycle. Redman and Mehldau soar with the orchestra before they all close it in a whispering tone poem. By combining sophisticated — yet accessible — forms with jazz improvisation, The Highway Rider exceeds all expectations, giving jazz-classical crossover a good name for a change. It is Mehldau’s most ambitious, creatively unfettered, and deeply emotional work to date, and will stand as a high watermark in his catalog.
The Anthony Wilson Trio
Jack Of Hearts
By Leonardo Barroso
Este para mim, é um dos melhores jazzistas americano, possui ótima noção de arranjo e de escolha de repertório. Neste CD ele traz um mix de ótimas faixas e outras não tão boas. Melhor faixa do ano "Theme from Chinatown" é puro eargasm !!!
by Alex Henderson
Jack of Hearts isn't the first Anthony Wilson album to feature an organist extensively; for example, he worked with the Los Angeles-based organist Joe Bagg on his 2005 release Savivity. But the guitarist has worked with acoustic pianists more often than organists (at least as of 2009), and Jack of Hearts is unusual in that it finds Wilson not using a pianist at all. On this early 2009 session, Wilson forms an intimate trio with Larry Goldings on organ and Jeff Hamilton or Jim Keltner on drums. In the '90s and 2000s, Goldings was one of the leading proponents of a post-Jimmy Smith aesthetic on the Hammond B-3. Goldings has been greatly influenced by the late Larry Young, who started out as a Smith disciple but evolved into an innovative, distinctive post-bop/modal player and went down in history as "The John Coltrane of the Organ." Of course, Goldings is not a clone of Young; he is most certainly his own person, but he shares Young's love of post-bop. So it isn't surprising that Goldings does a lot to shape the post-bop perspective that dominates Jack of Hearts. His presence is a major plus on material that was composed by Goldings and/or Wilson, and it is a major plus on memorable arrangements of Coleman Hawkins' "Hawkeyes" and two of Duke Ellington's lesser-known pieces ("Zweet Zursday" and "Carnegie Blues"). The fact that neither of those Ellington tunes is a standard speaks well of Wilson, who is smart enough to realize that one of the joys of the vast Ellington songbook is hearing all of the worthwhile Ellington compositions that didn't become standards. Jack of Hearts is a consistently engaging addition to Wilson's catalog.
Carlos Franzetti
Mambo Tango
by Ken Dryden
Although Argentinean-born jazz pianist Carlos Franzetti is well-versed in both South American and Cuban styles, don't think of Mambo Tango as strictly a Latin recording. Sticking exclusively to solo piano for this session, his take of "Have You Met Miss Jones" could easily be mistaken for one of the neo-bop players who emerged during the 1980s and 1990s, with inventive improvisations against a walking irregular bassline. It is surprising that relatively few pianists have recorded Gary McFarland's moving "Gary's Waltz," a favorite of the late Bill Evans, who played and recorded it numerous times. But Franzetti's approach is less dramatic and alters the melody in a subtle, infectious way that is far removed from Evans' interpretation. He also tackles Evans' popular "Waltz for Debbie," shading it with an Erroll Garner-like bouncing rhythm for a time against his dazzling improvising in the upper keyboard. Franzetti's originals are equally of interest. His delightful "Mambo Tango" combines the two styles in a masterful performance, while "Milonga del Adios" is a bittersweet Latin ballad that deserves to have lyrics. To wrap this top-notch CD, Carlos Franzetti offers a tantalizing, deliberate setting of Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)." Highly recommended.
Sylvian Luc
Standards
Standards is a clever mix up of improvisations, spontaneous compositions, and famous themes that Sylvain Luc proposes us.
All the possibilities of the acoustic guitar are exploited here with a sensitivity and an emotion directed by a huge strictness.
Here the guitar is sensual and makes us travel.
From a trip at the far end of himself on his own, Sylvain comes back with a music which speaks and even sings to anyone.
Fred Hersch
Plays Jobim
by Ken Dryden
Fred Hersch has long been heralded as a lyrical jazz pianist with a wide and always growing repertoire. For most of this tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hersch plays solo piano, in a manner that reflects much of the authentic aspects of the composer's works, filtered through the pianist's perspective. The emphasis on the delicious counterpoint within his setting of the well-known "O Grande Amor" (a piece he learned during his short tenure in Stan Getz's band) marks a refreshing change from typical jazz recordings. His arrangement of "Insensatez" is almost whispered, played at a very slow tempo, which puts greater emphasis on its melancholy nature, even though no lyrics are heard. "Desafinado" was an obligatory number for jazz musicians during the heyday of bossa nova, but Hersch's skillful, demanding bassline gives it a freshness rarely heard in jazz treatments. The pianist also found several lesser-known but deserving Jobim works in his research for the making of this CD, highlighted by the gorgeous miniature "Por Toda Minha Vida." Percussionist Jamey Haddad is added on the lively "Brigas Nunca Mais." Beautifully recorded on a brilliant-sounding piano, Fred Hersch Plays Jobim is among the finest releases in the pianist's extensive discography.
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