Monthly Archive: May 2016
Kaleidoscope = MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition; RAVEL: La Valse; STRAVINSKY: Three Movements from Petrushka – Khatia Buniatishvili, p. – Sony
A personal recital devoted to the art of keyboard coloration marks this Buniatishvili program from 2015. Kaleidoscope = MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition; RAVEL: La Valse; STRAVINSKY: Three Movements from Petrushka – Khatia Buniatishvili, p. – Sony 88875170032, 57:00 (3/11/16) ****: If slinky dresses and a Hedy Lamarr persona guarantee a virtuoso piano keyboardist, Khatia Buniatishvili has it made. Certainly, she possesses the fingers for this particular program (rec. 23-26 August 2015), which she chooses to approach from a personal, salon perspective. The Mussorgsky’s opening Promenade announces her introspective intentions, to explore the Hartmann visual panorama in musical terms that define Mussorgsky’s love for his departed friend. Rubato and graduated pedaling define the opening Promenade, while the succeeding grotesquerie, Gnomus, receives a fiercely percussive patina. The Old Castle intones its ancient bells slowly in the left hand, and for some, in too funereal a spirit, one close to Ravel’s hanged figure in Le Gibet. Disputatious children pick up the tempo in the Tuileries, Buniatishvili’s brisk articulation decidedly less mannered. The ox-cart Bydlo marches in, its plodding tempo one step away from having become the Dies Irae, since for Buniatishvili, a way of life passes away forever. The chicks from “Trilby” […]
East Side Sushi (2016)
A heartwarming story about never giving up on your dreams. East Side Sushi (2016) Cast: Diana Torrese, Yukata Takeuchi, Rodrigo Clark Director: Anthony Lucero Studio: Sony Pictures 47500 (5/6/16) Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 screens, 1080i HD color Audio: English DD 5.1 Subtitles: French, English, Spanish, English SDH Extras: Deleted scenes, “Behind the Sushi,” “Behind the Music” Length: 106 min. Rating: **** This engaging feature got a 100% score at Rotten Tomatoes. It concerns a Latino single mother who lives with her small daughter and her father. She has run a fruit-vending cart for years but is just not making it. She passes a Japanese restaurant which is looking for workers and is intrigued by both the food and security and benefits. She even learns to fuse sushi with her own Mexican culture and becomes a professional sushi chef. She is aided in her quest by a friendly Japanese sushi chef in the restaurant, but the owner of the place shuts her out not only due to her race being wrong but also because she is a woman. She fights back, and even takes part in a TV show competition, where she comes in second. But in the end she is […]
TERRY RILEY: Four Four Three – Ragazze Quartet/ Slagwerk den Haag/ Kapok – Channel Classics
A program of music by the American minimalist composer Terry Riley, newly arranged with a jazz trio and more. TERRY RILEY: Four Four Three – Ragazze Quartet/ Slagwerk den Haag/ Kapok – Channel Classics CCS 37816, 57:30 (6/10/16) ****: The first 3/4 of this unusual CD features Riley’s original work of over 50 years ago, In C, which was probably the most important example of ‘repetitive music.’ There have been several recordings since which attempted to pay tribute to this important work which sort of mixed classical and jazz. According to one of the liner note writers, the worst example he has heard tries to copy the original performance, and “Rules are not as important as results.” This version is totally different by using both the Ragazze String Quartet and four percussionists who go by the Slagwerk den Haag name. There’s an enormous dynamic range (no vinyl medium could possible handle this) and in addition to this explosiveness there is often a feeling of tranquil quiet and relaxation. For the closing Sunrise of the planetary dream collector, a third group is brought in to join the other two. It is the jazz trio Kapok who use electronic effects and other […]
Destiny (Fritz Lang), Blu-ray (1921/2016)
A fascinating Gothic silent by one of the leading German directors. Destiny (Fritz Lang), Blu-ray (1921/2016) Director: Fritz Lang Cast: Lil Dagover, Walter Janssen, Bernard Goetzke Studio: Decla-Bioscop (Weimar Republic)/Blackhawk Films/ Flicker Alley FA-MD3 036 Video: 4:3+ for 16:9 screens, B&W 1080p HD Audio: English titles by Ulrich Ruedel Music: Orig. score played by Mont Alto Motion Picture Orch. using film music arrangements of the period Length: 99 min. Rating: **** This important silent film was highly influential for its unusual presentation and special effects and helped persuade Hitchcock and Bununel to get into cinema. It is structured as a frame tale with three stories of a fantasy-historical nature within the main story. Human lives are each represented by a candle burning in a huge vault. Death is a man who gives the young woman (Lil) three chances to save her lover from death, if love can triumph over death. The first of the three stories is set in the Arabian Nights, and Douglas Fairbanks purchased the American rights so he could delay its opening and copied some of the special effects for the Persian segment of his Thief of Bagdad. The second story is a Renaissance-Venetian romance and the […]
Ken Russell’s View of The Planets, Blu-ray (1983/2016)
An interesting visual version of the Gustav Holst score. Ken Russell’s View of The Planets, Blu-ray (1983/2016) Director: Ken Russell Performed by: The Philadelphia Orch. cond. by Eugene Ormandy Music: Gustav Holst Studio: Monarda/ ArtHaus Musik 109169 (3/25/16) Video: 4:3 1080i HD color Audio: PCM stereo All regions Extras: introduced by Melvyn Bragg Length: 50 min. Rating: **** This is surely one of the most-loved pieces of 20th-century music and one of the classic cinema images onscreen to a classical work. Ormandy and the Philadelphians are of course excellent, and the screen is filled with a mass of documentary material from Russell, some of it illustrating his strong convictions about the world at large. The cuts are often timed to match the Holst score and point up various spots in it. Of course we expect a lot of shots of the Nazi and Soviet military for the Mars (God of War) movement which opens the work. It’s most interesting that for Uranus (the God of Magic) there is a great deal of footage of The Pope blessing people from his Popemobile. (I wonder what images he would have, if any, of the current Pope.) Mixed in, of course, with plenty […]
Jack DeJohnette, piano – Return – Newvelle – vinyl
Jack DeJohnette opens his heart and soul… Jack DeJohnette – Return – Newvelle Records NV002LP – vinyl ****: (Jack DeJohnette – solo piano) As the second release in the Newvelle Records bi-monthly subscription series, the label is issuing the first solo piano recording from drummer Jack DeJohnette. This is not a vanity release, as Jack had extensive piano training prior to concentrating on his illustrious career as an iconic jazz drummer. Newvelle’s mission is to present an artist’s vision in high end packaging, both providing state of the art sonic reproduction as well as a gate fold presentation with archival photography. Their integrity motivated DeJohnette to record both new tracks as well as piano interpretations of some of his favorite compositions. Recorded on a magnificent nine foot Fazioli grand piano, the ten recorded tunes are on gorgeous clear 180 gm vinyl, make an audiophile listening pleasure. [Lampblack has long been known to reduce vinyl surface noise, and that is why it is used in most pressings…Ed.] The crystalline acoustics feature crisp pedal sustain, and the high register notes are almost piercing in their clarity. This is contemplative music, highly percussive, rhythmic, with deeply felt emotion. Jack expresses his musical talents […]
MOZART – Complete String Quintets (2015) – Belvedere
Very possibly, the best there is. MOZART – Complete String Quintets (2015) Performers: Renaud Capuçon, violin/ Alina Ibragimova, violin/ Gérard Caussé, viola/ Léa Hennino, viola/ Clemens Hagen, cello Studio: Belvedere [1/8/16] (Distr. by Naxos) Length: 180 minutes Video: 1.77:1 for 16:9 screens, color Audio: DTS-HD 5.1, PCM Stereo Subtitles: English, German, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, Italian Ratings: Audio: ***** Video: ***** Packaging Design: **½ Overall: ****½ I don’t know many viewers out there who’d watch three straight hours of a quintet playing live on stage. Perhaps the classical music video style is partly to blame. It boasts no creative touches like the average rock video: no surreal scenarios, no creepy animation or psychodramas, no constant ADHD cuts. No, this style is best when artless and transparent. Still, there’s only so much you can do with closeups of performers’ faces and their fingerwork, no matter how skillful they are. That said, these performances of Mozart’s astounding string quintets may be the best I’ve ever seen. Mozart aficionados maintain that his string quartets are not his best work. It’s clear that even famous works like the String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465 (“Dissonance”) don’t approach String Quintets No. 3 […]
Audio News for May 27, 2016
Google Plans for New VR Hardware/Software – Google already has many virtual reality projects going: Google Cardboard, is now in the hands of ten million people. Google Jump is a part of a GoPro Odyssey rig with 16 HDR cameras set in a circular array allowing users to capture 360-degree sterereoscopic video. Jump Assembler is a “stitch software” created by Google to “sew” together 16 simultaneously-recorded videos. Google’s Tilt Brush is a 3D painting application for the HTC Vive virtual reality headset which appears to give users control over a luminous and abstract digital medium. You download it from Stream – the Google gaming and entertainment platform. Expeditions is Google’s virtual reality education platform where students use Google Cardboard to access immersive VR experiences of places they could never go on an ordinary field trip. Next comes Project Daydream – a hardware design for a viewer, with a new version of Google’s popular Android operating system. It will probably be an inexpensive headset and microcontroller released this fall. MQA Boasts New Wins for Hi-Res – The MQA audio format continues to gain momentum as more hardware suppliers and music-download sites embrace the new technology and Warner Music becomes the first […]
PROKOFIEV: Sym. No. 5 in B-flt Major – Royal Concertgebouw Orch. / Mariss Jansons – RCO Live
Chief Conductor Mariss Jansons leads his Concertgebouw Orchestra in a spirited, sonorous reading of the Prokofiev Fifth. PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 100 – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/ Mariss Jansons – RCO Live multichannel SACD 16002, 43:06 [Distr. by Naxos] (4/29/16) ****: Recorded live at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam 17-21 September 2014, the Prokofiev 1944 Fifth Symphony enjoys a performance history in Holland that dates back to 1948, when Eduard van Beinum brought the music before the orchestra. Composed in relative retreat from the cruelties of WW II, the music assumed a colossal import for the composer. Prokofiev said of his Fifth, “I wanted to sing the praises of the free and happy human being—of such a person’s strength, generosity and purity of soul. I cannot say I chose this theme; it was born in me and had to express itself.” From my own first impression of this potent and elegant work – from an RCA recording by Serge Koussevitzky – its combination of militant and lyrical energies struck me with the vigor and resolution of the spirit driving the music in the face of obvious, cataclysmic turmoil. Mariss Jansons does not understate the heroic impulses that emerge in […]
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Smash Hits – Reprise (1969) / Sony Legacy – vinyl
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Smash Hits – Reprise (1969)/ Sony Legacy (2016) 8898303081, 44:3 stereo vinyl [6/10/16] ****: Vinyl reissue shows why Hendrix was the greatest rock guitarist in history! (Jimi Hendrix – guitar, piano, vocals; Mitch Mitchell – drums, backing vocals; Noel Redding – bass, backing vocals) As new guitar heroes have emerged on the rock scene, they all had one thing in common. How did they compare to Jimi Hendrix? The brilliant, charismatic guitarist burst on the scene with his debut album, Are You Experienced? in 1967. He followed this up with two double albums, Axis Bold As Love and Electric Ladyland. His original songs (“Purple Haze”, Foxey Lady”, “Fire”) and phenomenal covers (“All Along The Watchtower”, “Hey Joe”) pushed the rock genre to a new artistic zenith. The incendiary, effects-laden guitar licks were a perfect complement to his cool, bluesy vocals. He was adored by his fans and was the envy of his colleagues. Above the studio accolades (his first three albums have been included in the Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Albums of All Time), he is widely considered the greatest rock guitarist, ever. His untimely death in 1970 cut short a brilliant career, but magnified […]
Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith – a cosmic rhythm with each stroke – ECM
A trumpet and piano duo project about movement, space and universality. Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith – a cosmic rhythm with each stroke [TrackList follows] ECM 2486, 66:13 [3/25/16] *****: (Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet; Vijay Iyer – piano, Fender Rhodes, electronics) To appreciate the new album by keyboardist Vijay Iyer and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, the 66-minute a cosmic rhythm with each stroke, listeners need to go beyond the music. That’s because Smith and Iyer’s inspirations have benignly benefited the three lengthy pieces, including the 50-minute, seven-part, title track suite. The record’s lower-case name (also the title of the long-form suite) comes from a 1969 diary entry by Indian artist Nasreen Mohamedi (1937-1990). Study the EYE SPACE Observe some objects in Different light A cosmic rhythm with Each stroke Sound and vibrations (study) Movement and emptiness Much of the material thus is a reaction to Mohamedi’s artwork, or as Iyer explains, he and Smith shared “a certain understanding, a certain set of governing ideas” after reading Mohamedi’s diary and studying her creative output. This kind of duality, a combined communication, isn’t accidental. Iyer and Smith previously performed in Smith’s Golden Quartet, from 2005 to 2010, and the two […]
“Wine Dark Sea” Music by DAN WELCHER: Spumante; DONALD GRANTHAM: J’ai été au bal; FRANK TICHELI: Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble; JOHN MACKEY: Wine Dark Sea (Sym. for Band) – Nathan Williams (clar.) / The University of Texas Wind Ens./Jerry Junkin – Reference Recordings
“Wine Dark Sea” Music by DAN WELCHER: Spumante; DONALD GRANTHAM: J’ai été au bal; FRANK TICHELI: Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble; JOHN MACKEY: Wine Dark Sea (Sym. for Band) – Nathan Williams (clarinet) / The University of Texas Wind Ensemble/Jerry Junkin (A world première recording) – Reference Recordings RR-137 HDCD, TT 69:41 (3/11/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: An exuberantly-played selection of contemporary wind music in demo quality sound. This impressive disc from Reference Recordings features four contemporary works for Wind Band played with precision by the University of Texas Wind Ensemble. I’ve always been partial to wind music, most likely after years of playing similar music when I had my trumpet in hand during high school and college. I loved the music of Persichetti, Nehlybel, Clifton Williams and more. So hearing these new works is a thrill, and this collection mixes some fine compositions with the predictably fine fidelity that Reference Recordings provides. Three of the pieces on the disc are shorter works for winds. Although everything on offer is quite good, the composition I found the most compelling is John Mackey’s Wine Dark Sea, his Symphony for Band, heard for the first time on disc in this premier […]
BACH: Six Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046-1051 – Wiener Soloists/ Jascha Horenstein – Pristine Audio (2)
Horenstein’s 1954 survey of the Bach Brandenburgs proves compelling and musically intelligent. BACH: Six Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046-1051 – Wiener Soloists/ Jascha Horenstein – Pristine Audio PASC 468 (2 CDs), TT: 1 hour 40 minutes [avail. in various formats from www.pristineclassical.com] ****: Horenstein spent much time and effort searching for the right combination of original instruments, not as easy to find then as now, and auditioning the musicians to play them. In the end he settled for a twenty-two piece orchestra that featured a harpsichord, a violino piccolo, two recorders, two viole da gamba, two natural horns and a clarino trumpet in addition to modern instruments. This formation (rec. 21-25 September 1954) represented a revolutionary new approach to these masterpieces, which until then were usually performed in a romantic style, mostly by large orchestras with modern instruments – Horenstein’s tutti utilizes modern stringed instruments – often with the keyboard part taken by a piano. The players were drawn mainly from members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra that included, most notably, the young Nikolaus Harnoncourt (viola da gamba) and Paul Angerer (viola, violin piccolo, harpsichord, second recorder), both of whom later became important figures in the development of authentic performances of […]
One for All – The Third Decade – Smoke Session
A most welcome return… One for All – The Third Decade – Smoke Session SSR 1605, 66:02 (06/03/16) ****1/2: (Eric Alexander – tenor sax; Jim Rotondi – trumpet; Steve Davis – trombone; David Hazeltine – piano; John Webber – bass; Joe Farnsworth – drums) It’s been over five years since One for All has released a group effort. As this group is made up of some of the finest hard bop players on the scene with the front line horn section each heavily recorded with their own projects (and trumpeter Jim Rotondi spending time in Europe), it was feared that the group had run its course. Not so, as their new CD, Third Decade, is hitting the stores on June 3. This super group has been a favorite of hard bop devotees ever since their first CD was issued on Sharp Nine Records back in 1997. For over twenty years they have set a standard that hearkens back to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. They took their name from Blakey’s last studio album, and their cohesion, tight charts, and ensemble blend as a sextet is spot on. Being New York based they seldom toured but found a home at […]
HERBERT: Cello Concerto No. 1 in D Major; Cello Con. No. 2 in minor; Irish Rhapsody – Mark Kosower, cello/ Ulster Orch./ JoAnn Falletta – Naxos
The joys of Irish melody and German music discipline combine nicely in Victor Herbert’s music. HERBERT: Cello Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 8; Cello Concerto No. 2 in minor, Op. 30; Irish Rhapsody for Grand Orchestra – Mark Kosower, cello/ Ulster Orch./ JoAnn Falletta – Naxos 8.573517, 64:00 (4/8/16) ****: Recorded 27-29 April 2015 at Ulster Hall, Belfast, the two cello concertos of Victor Herbert (1859-1924) remind us that the Irish-born composer enjoyed a thorough grounding in the German tradition. While his music for the stage dominates the image of his work in the popular appraisal, Herbert’s long association with the cello – begun when he was fifteen – permitted him a natural sense of the instrument’s expressive capabilities. The Second Concerto (1894) has long overshadowed the First Concerto of 1884, but this rendition by Mark Kosower may remediate its neglect. To the Second Concerto’s credit, however, history notes that its beauties inspired Dvorak to conceive his own glorious work in the genre. The D Major Concerto stands to the mainstream cello concerto repertory somewhat as the Anton Rubinstein piano concertos add to that virtuoso tradition. The opening Allegro con spirito proceeds in rather a formulaic manner, […]
JANACEK: Glagolitic Mass – Soloists/Evard Grieg & Bergen Cath.Choir – Chandos
JANACEK: Glagolitic Mass – Sara Jakubiak (sop.)/ Susan Bickley (mezzo)/ Stuart Skelton (tenor)/ Gábor Bretz (bass)/ Thomas Trotter (organ)/ Edward Gardner cond. Bergen Philharmonic Orch./ Bergen Philharmonic Choir & Choir of Collegiûm Mûsicûm; Adagio for Orch. – Bergen Philharmonic Orch./ Zdravas Maria, – Sara Jakubiak (sop.)/ David Stewart (violin)/ Karstein Askeland (organ)/ Edvard Grieg Chorus & Bergen Cathedral Choir; Otcenáš (Our Father) for four-part choir, tenor soloist, organ and harp – Stuart Skelton (tenor)/ Johannes Wik (harp)/ Karstein Askeland (organ)/ Edvard Grieg Choir & Bergen Cathedral Choir – Chandos multichannel SACD CHSA 5165 TT: 64:30 (3/25/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: A superb recording and performance of Janacek’s epic Mass. I’ve always had an affinity for Janacek’s music, and his Sinfonietta is a piece I listen to at least once every few weeks. When I first heard the the Glagolitic Mass some years ago, I wasn’t sure what I would hear, but Janacek’s style that I knew so well from the Sinfonietta was clearly there, and most welcome. The Glagolitic Mass is considered Janacek’s finest non-operatic work. It was premiered a year after the Sinfonietta to critical acclaim. This impressive piece makes full use of the orchestra and chorus, with virtuosic […]
The Golden Measure – The Golden Measure – self
Guitarist Mike Sopko and drummer Simon Lott: expect the unexpected. The Golden Measure – The Golden Measure [TrackList follows] self-released 888295375799, 57:58 [3/25/16] ***1/2: (Mike Sopko – guitar; Simon Lott – drums & vocals) Guitarist Mike Sopko and drummer Simon Lott supply expansive minimalism (and nothing straightforward or ordinary) on their instrumental duo project, the Golden Measure. The outing may be minimalist in regards to only having electric guitar and drums, but the music is involved, tricky and potent. The two friends’ hour-long, self-titled and self-released undertaking has them playing amid a myriad of styles, from spacious, ambient-flecked material (the Eno-esque “Visions Distorted”) through rock-tinged tunes (“Westside” and “Ebber”) to roaring, turbo-charged clamor (the punk/hardcore-enriched “Carol” and the aptly-named “Wake Up, Son,” which could take the place of an alarm clock). Sopko has performed and recorded with Bill Laswell (as part of the trio Sopko, Laswell and Pridgen), former Minutemen bassist Mike Watt, drummer Tyshawn Sorey, keyboardist Jamie Saft (who is a member of the Spanish Donkey and Plymouth) and more. Lott was in guitarist Charlie Hunter’s trio and has worked with bassist Todd Sickafoose, plus others. Most of the 21 tracks (which range in length from over eight minutes […]
Audio News for May 24, 2016
Facebook Bought VR Audio Firm Two Big Ears and is Making Tech Free to Developers – Facebook and parent company Oculus have announced they will make the new technology free as part of the Facebook 360 Spatial Workshop. Two Big Ears said their mission is to make VR audio succeed across all devices and platforms and to help creators make the best experiences for billions of people across the world. The technology focuses largely on how sound plays in 3D spaces and how it interacts with surfaces surrounding the viewer. Both the Gear VR and Rift already support the immersive audio technology. Two Big Ears realized the concern for compatibility, and says they would continue to be platform and device agnostic.” Radio Man Head of U.S. Classics for Universal – The current general manager of New York City’s WQXR had been appointed president of Universal Music’s classical labels in the U.S. Graham Parker is British and was head of the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble before the WQXR job, and entered the music industry thru an assistant’s job with the New York Philharmonic. “I’ve devoted my life to classical music and bringing this incredible genre to as wide an audience as possible,” […]
Janis, Little Girl Blue – (2016)
An excellent documentary on the life of the loud singer. Janis, Little Girl Blue – (2016) Cast: Janis Joplin, narrated by musician Cat Power, Clive Davis, Peter Albin Director: Amy J. Berg Studio: Filmrise/ MVD Visual MVDE 8304D (5/06/16) Video: Mostly for 9:16 screens, color Audio: English DD 2.0 Subtitles: English Extras: Deleted & extended scenes, Big Brother Singing Acapella, The Avalon vs. The Fillmore, Influences, Walk of Fame Ceremony on Hollywood sidewalk Length: 105 min. Rating: **** A fine documentary showing Joplin’s evolution into a big star, using letters and photos that she sent over the years to friends, family and collaborators. This make a fine pairing with Pennebaker’s films of Joplin at Monterey Pop and shows here as a unique talent, ahead of her time and trying to define herself rather than being defined by others. The horrible time she had in school in Texas undoubtedly shaped a whole cringe-worthy life. When she came to San Francisco and joined Big Brother and the Holding Company she had the opportunity to showcase her big voice and gave her heart and soul to a song. She became addicted to alcohol and drugs, met a lover in Brazil but he couldn’t […]
Bill Charlap Trio – Notes From New York – Impulse!
Bill Charlap Trio – Notes From New York – Impulse! B0024830-02, 54:02 ****: The epitome of an elegant, intelligent, mainstream pianist. (Bill Charlap – piano; Peter Washington – bass; Kenny Washington – drums) Whitney Balliett (now deceased) writing for The New Yorker on April 19,1999 said this of Bill Charlap (then 32) as he was beginning to make his mark on the jazz scene: “His sound shines; each note is rounded. Best of all, in almost every number regardless of its speed, he leaves us a phrase, a group of irregular notes, an ardent bridge that shakes us.” Now almost twenty years later, with the same trio (Peter Washington – bass/ Kenny Washington – drums [not related]) that has been with him for about the same period, Bill Charlap and his band-mates continue to bristle with exuberance, and maintain an intriguing interchange that makes them one of the premier jazz trios of the day. The release of Notes From New York, is the band’s first recording on Impulse! For the most part, they eschew the tried and true song selections, for a more varied choice of lesser-known numbers, on which they can extend their imprimatur. Although the opener “I’ll Remember […]
Steve Smith – Tony Monaco – Vinny Valentino – Groove:Blue – Q-rious
Steve Smith – Tony Monaco – Vinny Valentino – Groove:Blue – Q-rious Music QRM 135, 49:09 ****: A good cookin’ organ trio. (Steve Smith – drums; Tony Monaco – Hammond B-3; Vinny Valentino – guitar) Serendipity is defined as “luck that takes the form finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for”. That certainly is the case as it relates to the genesis of this recording session. A chance encounter by the members of this aggregation in March 2011, who were in Jakarta, Indonesia at the same time but for different reasons lead to a musical empathy. Later that same year, (August 2011), but now in the US, they again were brought together by chance, and decided to act on these fateful encounters to record something on spec, hoping that eventually their efforts would be released. Now the German label Q-rious has issued a CD entitled Groove:Blue and the name fits perfectly. Harking back to those 1950/1960 organ combos led by the likes of Jimmy Smith, Richard “Groove” Holmes, Brother Jack McDuff and Milt Buckner, the band waxes rhapsodic and digs into the material with gusto. The trio has judiciously chosen the set list that combines a number […]
Luca Baratto – Live at Honens = Works of SCHUMANN DEBUSSY, PROKOFIEV, LIGETI, LUTOSLOWSKI, MOZART, HINDEMITH & Others – Honens (2 CDs)
Virtuoso pianist Luca Buratto demonstrates his versatile musicianship from the 2015 Honens Festival. Luca Baratto – Live at Honens = SCHUMANN: Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17; Davidsbuendler Taenze: No 14; LIGETI: Etudes No. 15 and No. 16; DEBUSSY: L’Isle joyeuse; PROKOFIEV: Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83; VIARDOT: Two Songs; OBRADORS: Two Songs; LUTOSLAWSKI: Dance Preludes; MOZART: Piano Trio in E-flat Major, K. 498 “Kegelstatt”; HINDEMITH: Viola Sonata in F Major, Op. 11, No. 4; BRAHMS: Geistleiches Wiegenlied, Op. 91, No. 2 – Isabel Bayrakdarian, sop./ Hsin-Yun Huang, viola/ James Campbell, clar./ Luca Buratto, p. – Honens (2 CDs) 66:12, 63:55 (2/12/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Recorded live at Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons during the September 2015 – semifinals performances – Honens Festival and Piano Competition, the various solo and chamber ensemble works testify to the range and finesse of Italian pianist Luca Buratto (b. 1993), a Laureate of the distinguished Canadian competition. Buratto performs on a Fazioli instrument whose middle register enjoys a liquid warmth, while its upper reaches offer silver pearls. Buratto performs in solo and collaborative works, as designated by the requirements of the Festival. Buratto opens with Schumann’s passionate love-letter […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
