Monthly Archive: October 2017
Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal — Kora Jazz Concert, 24 October
Audiophile Audition encourages new musical explorations of varied genre. In that spirit, we welcome this unique cello/koro duo, performing in Portland this week as part of the PDX Jazz series of events. From PDX Jazz, the following introductory notes: When Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal released their first collaborative album, Chamber Music, they caught the music world by surprise. Everything about this duo and the elegantly soulful music they made together was unexpected: Sissoko being the Malian master of the traditional kora harp, and Ségal being the French cellist with the unlikely background in trip-hop. For more information, please see the details of the event here: PDX Jazz Cello/Koro Concert.
Mengelberg conducts TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo and Juliet Overture; Symphony No. 4; Symphony No. 5; Serenade for Strings – Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam/ Willem Mengelberg – Pristine Audio
Mengelberg conducts TCHAIKOVSKY: The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1927-1930 = Romeo and Juliet – Fantasy Overture; Symphony No. 4 in f minor, Op. 36; Symphony No. 5 in e minor, Op. 64; Waltz from Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 – Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam/ Willem Mengelberg – Pristine Audio PASC 511 (2 CDs) TT: 2:08:36 [www.pristineclassical.com] ****: Mark Obert-Thorn restores the ardent realizations of the Tchaikovsky legacy the tempestuous Mengelberg recorded for Columbia Records. While auditioning producer and restoration engineer Mark Obert-Thorn’s latest edition of Tchaikovsky works from Willem Mengelberg (1881-1951) for the Columbia label, I recall the several sessions I enjoyed with Stefan Bauer-Mengelberg (1927-1996) at SUNY Binghamton, where he taught for the School of Advanced Technology and occasionally conducted concerts with a mixed ensemble of SUNY players and professionals. Stefan often discussed his great-uncle’s conducting style, founded as it had been in a strongly Romantic, even self-indulgent, tradition. Huge manipulations of tempo and rhythmic pulse, orchestral slides, and shifting of dynamics had been standard performance practice. My own objection to the cuts Mengelberg takes in the Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony’s last movement prevented my wanting to broadcast his otherwise splendidly energetic performances, either on Columbia or Telefunken. […]
Jane Ira BLOOM: Wild LInes: Improvising Emily Dickinson – Outline
Jane Ira BLOOM: Wild LInes: Improvising Emily Dickinson – Outline 143, 55:41, 61:48 (9/8/17) ****: (Jane Ira Bloom; soprano/ Dawn Clement; piano/ Mark Helias; Bass/ Bobby Previte; drums/ Deborah Rush; voice) Superb compositions for jazz quartet inspired by verses of Emily Dickinson, with ten readings integrated into alternative versions. The idea of a modern jazz quartet taking its inspiration from the poetry of Emily Dickinson is ingenious but not obvious. By the standards of her poet-contemporaries she was deliberately unmusical–staccato, dissonant and ironical–features more readily associated with modernistic poetry or even bebop. To these features, we might add a hidden strength and a playful contrariness. Taken together, we have a banner for a band that plays serious original music without undue concern for categories or genre expectations. So what can we expect from a double cd dedicated to the Concord Solitary? The answer is to be found in a appropriately divided project that amounts to a musical encounter with the spirit of Dickenson. The first disc features 15 works (and oddly, one standard) that are titled after her poems or famous lines within. The second has unadorned reading (mercifully no singing) of the poems now attached to the musical charts, […]
Corey CHRISTIANSEN – Dusk – Origin
Corey CHRISTIANSEN – Dusk – Origin 82743, 48:48 (10/20/17) ****: (Corey Christiansen; guitar/ Jeremy Allen; bass/ Matt Jorgensen; drums/ Zach Lapidus; keyboards/ Michael Spiro; percussion) Funky R&B/ Fusion derived jazz of high spirits and inspiration. I don’t typically incline towards funky R&B/ fusion music. See-sawing major chords, repeated licks, and hypnotic vamps are associated with long-road trips and exercise classes, neither optimal for serene aesthetic contemplation. All the more surprising that this over-the-top boisterous funk outing swept away my misgivings about the genre on the strength of its freshness and musical candor. The tunes are all written by Corey Christiansen in response to the usual “people in my life, places, characters, landscapes,” etc. More likely, the tunes reflect funky records he has listened to and assimilated with a fine sense of what works artistically. The first tune Turtle Dove, reveals the guitarist’s sweet side. An affecting melodic line swings over a simple two-chord progression, with some flattering acoustic guitar backing. But when the band kicks in, a veritable category 5 storm blows up with the guitarist switching settings on his gorgeous Buscarino axe and indulging in first-rate shredding. For the non-guitaristic crowd, some indulgence is necessary. In fact, the vehemence […]
Horowitz Live at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1 = Works of HAYDN, SCHUBERT, SCRIABIN, KABALEVSKY, CHOPIN – Pristine
Horowitz Live at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1 = HAYDN: Piano Sonata No. 62 in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI:52; SCHUBERT: Impromptu in G-flat Major, D. 899, No. 3; SCRIABIN: Vers la flamme, Op. 72; Poeme in F-sharp Major, Op. 32, No. 1; Etude in F-sharp Major, Op. 42, No. 4; Etude in d-sharp minor, Op. 8, No. 12; KABALEVSKY: Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Major, Op. 49; CHOPIN: Fantasie in f minor, Op. 49; Nocturne in e minor, Op. 72, No. 1; Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat Major, Op. 29; Nocturne in F-sharp Major, Op. 15, No. 2; Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 “Heroic” – Vladimir Horowitz, piano – Pristine Audio PAKM 071, 79:52 [www.pristineclassical.com] *****: The immortal Horowitz returns to us from private archives to enchant and astound us. This from Producer and Recording Engineer Andrew Rose: “This recording is the first of a collection of recordings made for Vladimir Horowitz’s private use of concerts given in New York’s Carnegie Hall. The recordings were captured on 78rpm acetate discs and survive in various states of disrepair in a collection held at Yale University.” Horowitz performs at Carnegie Hall on 2 February 1948, and he appears in excellent form, […]
Cory Weeds – Let’s Groove: The Music of Earth Wind And Fire – CellarLive
Cory Weeds – Let’s Groove: The Music of Earth Wind And Fire – CellarLive CL041017 64:36**** Swing on! (Cory Weeds – alto saxophone; Steve Kaldestad – tenor saxophone; Mike Ledonne – Hammond B-3 organ; Dave Sikula – guitar; Jason Tiemann – drums; Liam MacDonald – percussion #2, 5, 6, 8) Cory Weeds must have a doppelgänger, as he can’t possibly do everything he does. Recording, producing, playing in clubs, taking people on jazz tours, booking talent for a jazz club in Vancouver, and the list goes on. Yet here he is again on another release as Executive Producer, playing alto sax instead of his usual tenor, and to top it off album cover photographer. This one devoted to the music of the iconic R&B, soul, funk, jazz, group Earth Wind & Fire entitled Let’s Groove. With an interesting front line composed of Weeds and tenor saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, and backed by the rocking Hammond B-3 of Mike Ledonne, the band developed a burly sound that is perfectly to the material. Opening with the title track “Let’s Groove”, the band does what the title implies and finds a solid foundation with everyone locked in. Weeds plays with an infectious delivery that sets […]
Arrangements for two organs and percussion – Music by Josef RHEINBERGER and Modest MUSSORGSKY – Jörg Endebrock and Suzanne Rohn, Organs / Conrad Graf, percussion – HD-Klassic
Arrangements for two organs and percussion – Music by Josef Rheinberger and Modest Mussorgsky – Organists Jörg Endebrock and Suzanne Rohn – Konrad Graf- percussion -HD-Klassic SACD with stereo and binaural versions / hd-klassic 3D-001701 TT: 60:31 – Released August 2017 A spectaclular demonstration of audio technology with excellent performances It’s not often I hear something really new and unique, both musically and technically. But that’s the case with this new disc from HD-Klassic, a German distributor. This SACD features 3 ways to listen to this music- on the stereo layer of the CD, in 5.1 surround on the SACD layer, and as a binaural recording designed for headphone listening. The music is well suited for this technology demonstration: It includes Josef Rheinberger’s Organ Concerto #2, and an organ transcription of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This work is also scored for percussion. Two organs are played for both pieces. That’s not something you hear every day. Organist Susanne Rohn and Jörg Endenbrock play the historic Walker Organ at the Lutheran Church at Wiesbaden and the Klas Organ respectively. Percussionist Konrad Graf provided the percussion music during the Mussorgsky. It’s quite a listen in any of the formats provided. In […]
Michael Zilber – Originals For The Originals – Origin
Michael Zilber – Originals For The Originals – Origin 82729, 69:46 *****: Veteran saxophonist pays homage to reed legends in style! (Michael Zilber – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; David Kikoski – piano; James Genus – bass; Clarence Penn – drums; Matt Clark – piano; Peter Barshay – bass; Akira Tana – drums) Saxophonist Michael Zilber has an unusual geographic history. He was born in Vancouver, Canada before moving to Boston as a teenager. He moved to New York and worked with Sonny Sitt, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Liebman, Dave Douglas, Rachel Z and Narada Michael Walden among many. While In New York, he recorded two critically acclaimed albums, The Heretic and Stranger In Brooklyn as a sole band leader. But his career has been anchored in San Francisco and he has released several albums as a solo or co-leader. His 2000 release Two Coasts and in 2003, Reimagined garnered significant critical acclaim. Zilber is currently with Origin Records of Seattle. Additionally, he directs the Advanced Jazz Workshop in Berkeley, California. Zilber’s eleventh album is an inspired homage to his saxophone heroes, including Michael Brecker, Sonny Rollins, Dave Liebman, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane and Paul Desmond. Breaking fast […]
Satoko Fujii, Wadada Leo Smith, Natsuki Tamura and Ikue Mori – Aspiration – Libra
Satoko Fujii, Wadada Leo Smith, Natsuki Tamura and Ikue Mori – Aspiration [TrackList follows] – Libra 204 043, 62:40 [9/8/17] ****: Four brilliant and independently-minded improvisers together at last. (Wadada Leo Smith – trumpet; Natsuki Tamura – trumpet; Satoko Fujii – piano; Ikue Mori – electronics) For listeners who prefer jazz outside of traditional or predictable jazz territory, the 62-minute Aspiration is a must-hear. The reason is the quartet which makes up this six-track album. Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith is one of the top avant-garde jazz and free improvisers. He’s involved with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his 2012 effort, Ten Freedom Summers, and he received the 2016 Doris Duke Artist Award. Pianist Satoko Fujii is one of Japan’s major jazz improvisers and free jazz proponents, with over 40 releases. Fujii’s husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, has collaborated on many of Fujii’s recorded material (they both also front the acoustic group Gato Libre) and has been favorably compared to Smith for his likeminded inclinations concerning free jazz and creative melodicism. Ikue Mori (on electronics) was initially a drummer in the late 1970s NYC No Wave movement, […]
Ahmad Jamal – Marseille – Jazz Village
Ahmad Jamal – Marseille – Jazz Village (distr. by Harmonia Mundi), 59:38 ****1/2: (Ahmad Jamal – piano; James Cammack – double bass; Herlin Riley – drums; Manolo Badrena – percussion; Abd Al Malik – vocals/track 4; Mina Agossi – vocals/track 8) There are many jazz legends that have careers that endure well into their golden years. Perhaps there is no greater example of this phenomenon than Pittsburgh native Ahmad Jamal. With early influences like Art Tatum and Earl Hines, Jamal began recording in 1951, a year after changing his name. His early live recording At The Pershing (1958) received critical acclaim and featured the renowned “Poinciana”. Jamal was one of the important contributors to cool jazz. Like Miles Davis and others, this genre attempted to diverge from the lightning-speed of bebop and move jazz into the realm of popular music. His compositions and instrumental style placed emphasis on spacing and timing. This jazz legend has consistently recorded over a span of 65 years. At eighty-seven years of age, Jamal continues to amaze. His spacious approach to jazz and song interpretation is unique. His current release, Marseille is a heartfelt acknowledgement to the country and specifically the city that has inspired […]
Dick Hyman Solo At The Sacramento Jazz Festivals 1983-1988 – Arbor Records
Dick Hyman Solo At The Sacramento Jazz Festivals 1983-1988 – Arbor Records ARCD 19451, 70:45 ****: Vintage performances by a jazz master gets a digital conversion. (Dick Hyman – piano) Like many jazz pianists, Dick Hyman was destined to be a classical prodigy. His early repertoire included Beethoven, but he found symmetry with Chopin. The expansive melodies (especially waltzes) lent themselves to jazz improvisation. After an Army stint, Hyman won an on-air competition, and more importantly 12 free lessons with Teddy Wilson. Hyman would one day be pianist for Benny Goodman as well. In addition to traditional jazz, Hyman developed an interest in ragtime and stride piano, researching the catalog of Jelly Roll Morton, Scott Joplin, James P. Johnson, Eubie Blake and Fats Waller. These composers have become a staple of Hyman’s live performances. He has created scores for many Woody Allen films, written for dance companies and explored electronic music (with an emphasis on the Lowrey organ). Throughout this illustrious career, Hyman has continued to perform and record live concerts. Arbor Records has released a collection of rare solo performances recorded thirty years ago. Dick Hyman Solo At The Sacramento Jazz Festivals 1983-1988 is a brilliant assortment of piano […]
Klavier 1853 = LISZT: Ballade No. 2; C. SCHUMANN: Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann; R. SCHUMANN: Gesaenge der Fruehe; BRAHMS: Piano Sonata No. 3 – Hyeyeon Park, piano – Blue Griffin
Klavier 1853 = LISZT: Ballade No. 2 in b minor; C. SCHUMANN: Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann, Op. 20; R. SCHUMANN: Gesaenge der Fruehe, Op. 133; BRAHMS: Piano Sonata No. 3 in f minor, Op 5 – Hyeyeon Park, piano – Blue Griffin BG351, 77:00 (9/5/17) [Distr. by Albany] ****: Korean virtuoso Hyeyeon Park certifies 1853 as a banner year in keyboard music. The premise of this recital (rec. 7-9 July 2015) establishes 1853 as a seminal year in classical music, embracing the founding of two piano manufacturers, Steinway and Bechstein, as well as the premieres of prominent operatic works by Verdi, La Traviata and Il Trovatore. Taking Johannes Brahms as a central musical persona, we follow him in 1853 in the company of the violinist Remenyi, and thus to meetings with Liszt, Joachim, and the Robert Schumanns. The rest has become standard Romantic-music history, with Remenyi’s remaining in the Liszt entourage, while Brahms became a prodigy championed by the Schumann partisans, even having admitted as part of the intimate family circle. Liszt’s 1853 Ballade No. 2 takes its literary cue from a poem, “Lenore,” by Gottfried August Buerger, that same poet from whom Franck fashioned his tone-poem […]
Cuong Vu 4Tet – Ballet (The Music of Michael Gibbs) – RareNoise
Cuong Vu 4Tet – Ballet (The Music of Michael Gibbs) [TrackList follows] – RareNoise RNR079, 41:57 [4/28/17] ****: A masterful tribute to a top-notch composer and arranger. (Cuong Vu – trumpet; Bill Frisell – guitar; Luke Bergman – bass; Ted Poor – drums) Guitarist Bill Frisell is a busy guy with a lot of recent settings which feature his music. This year, Frisell has toured as a guest with The Bad Plus. He has a sublime duo release, Small Town, with bassist Thomas Morgan (on the ECM label); he’s on Allen Toussaint’s posthumous 2016 album, American Tunes (Nonesuch) as well as Bonnie Raitt’s 2016 record, Dig in Deep; also in 2016 Frisell issued When You Wish Upon a Star. And there’s the documentary, Bill Frisell: A Portrait, which premiered in the spring of 2017. Tellingly, that film includes performance footage with composer/arranger Michael Gibbs: in the mid-‘70s, Frisell studied with Gibbs at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. That Gibbs connection is the reason for Ballet (The Music of Michael Gibbs), a 41-minute concert recording where Frisell is part of trumpeter Cuong Vu’s 4Tet, along with regular 4Tet members Ted Poor (drums) and Luke Bergman (bass). This marks the second collaboration […]
Heads Of State – Four In One – Smoke Sessions
Heads Of State – Four In One – Smoke Sessions Records SSR_1702, 72:21 ****: Great jazz by all-stars! (Garry Bartz – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Larry Willis – piano; David Williams – double bass; Al Foster – drums) Heads Of State boasts four stellar jazz instrumentalists with dexterity and flair. On their follow up to the critically acclaimed debut, Search For Peace ( a tribute to McCoy Tyner), the quartet seems prepared to enhance their repertoire with a vibrant collection of original compositions (in democratic fashion, each member contributes a song) and covers of jazz legends. Four In One showcases internal cohesion and individual technical artistry. The opening title cut is a classic take on Thelonious Monk. Bartz opens on alto saxophone mixing trilling notation and fluid leads. At 2:45, Larry Willis takes over on piano. His intricate phrasing (and subtle tempo variations) and medium swing is a perfect complement. Double bassist David Williams also solos and drummer Al Foster exchanges with Bartz later. On the first new composition, “And He Called Himself A Messenger” (Bartz), the group builds grooves and melody interaction. In re-inventing jazz masters, the jams manage to capture the moods and inherent soul of the composers. […]
SCHUMANN: Cello Concerto; SAINT-SAENS: Cello Concerto No. 1; TCHAIKOVSKY: Rococo Variations – Antonio Meneses, cello/ Royal Northern Sinfonia/ Claudio Cruz – Avie
SCHUMANN: Cello Concerto in a minor, Op. 129; SAINT-SAENS: Cello Concerto No. 1 in a minor, Op. 33; TCHAIKOVSKY: Rococo Variations, Op. 33 – Antonio Meneses, cello/ Royal Northern Sinfonia/ Claudio Cruz – Avie AV2373, 60:29 (8/18/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: Antonio Meneses pays homage, via three concerted works, to his Tchaikovsky Competition roots from 1982. It seems that as artists approach their 60th birthday—see Krystian Zimerman’s thoughts regarding late Schubert on DGG—they turn to long-cherished repertory and contribute new insights. Antonio Meneses (b. 1957) took the musical world by storm in 1982, winning First Prize and the Gold Medal at the VII International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. With conductor Claudio Cruz (rec. 3-4 January 2017), Meneses visits three staples of the cello repertoire, by Schumann, Saint-Saens, and Tchaikovsky. The Schumann a minor Concerto (1850) typifies his late, economical style, recycling its opening thematic and motor materials, and employing his standard Intermezzo in lieu of a concerto’s slow movement. Meneses and Cruz play the tender work for its intimacy and dark bursts of energy. The piece rarely ventures into virtuoso bravura, but it does call for an accompanied cadenza in the last movement that became a model for Edward […]
Bach & Villa Lobos – Acht Cellisten – Preisler Records
Werke von Johann Sebastian Bach und Heitor Villa-Lobos – Acht Cellisten der Wiener Symphoniker — Preiser Records PR 90816, 59:00, (10/10/17) **** The pairing of Villa-Lobos with Bach as far as a concert or album goes, makes sense, given the Brazilian composer’s fascination with Johann Sebastian Bach. This live concert CD pairs three pieces of Villa-Lobos with arrangements from the first cantata of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248. The “8 Cellos of the Vienna Philharmonic” are joined by flautist Karl-Heinz Schütz to present Villa Lobos’s Die Fliegerflöte and the soprano part to the Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5. “The Jet Whistle” is in fact a duet in three movements for solo cello and flute. It’s a virtuoso piece that taxes the technical capacity of both players. Villa-Lobos employs repeated patterns and rhythmic gestures to create an intriguing and enjoyable duet. The piece was new to me and it established the high professional standards of both the flautist and lead cellist, Christoph Stradner. In a former life, I was used to arranging pieces for a like-bodied ensemble, including pieces by Bach. The challenges in arranging pieces originally for a wide gamut of tones down to a more limited range (in this case, […]
Streams and Podcasts for 15 October 2017
This week, The Music Treasury presents the noted conductor Klaus Tennstedt. Tennstedt was a gifted conductor, who spent over half his career in East Germany. Although he was not well known in the west until his late 40s, he became quite the conductor in demand after his debut concerts in North America. Featured will be works by Mozart, Handel, and Janacek. The show is hosted by Dr. Gary Lemco, and can be heard on Sunday, 8 October 2017, between 19:00 and 21:00, PDT. In addition to being a radio show, it is also presented as streaming broadcast: kzsulive.stanford.edu
SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in A Major, D. 959; Piano Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960 – Krystian Zimerman, piano – DGG
SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in A Major, D. 959; Piano Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960 – Krystian Zimerman, piano – DGG 479 758, 82:08 (9/8/17) [Distr. by Universal] ****: Approaching his own sixtieth year, Krystian Zimerman addresses the last two sonatas of the dying Franz Schubert. Polish keyboard virtuoso Krystian Zimerman (b. 1956) recorded the two late (1828) Schubert sonatas in 2016, having “found the courage for such works as these and the last Beethoven sonatas.” The impression Zimerman creates in these two grand, tragic works, remains somewhat quizzical: he plays with authority and decided resonance, with open affection, yet the tempos and long phrasings suggest a detachment and objectivism that we might have assigned to Alfred Brendel. Zimerman attends to the architecture in Schubert, careful to balance phrases and dynamics in poetic symmetry. The opening Allegro of the Sonata in A Major enjoys an elegant aristocracy in its octave leap and wistful triplet figures. Zimerman can clarify the polyphonic passages in Schubert without sacrificing their grace. The Andantino movement likely rivals the second movement in the Beethoven Seventh Symphony for tragic utterance, and Zimerman respects Schubert’s huge tempest that erupts mid-way, much in the spirit of a grieved Bach […]
Riverside – The New National Anthem – Greenleaf Music
Riverside – The New National Anthem [TrackList follows] – Greenleaf Music GRE-CD-1056, 43:07 47:20 [6/16/17] ****: A one-of-a-kind tribute to Carla Bley. (Dave Douglas – trumpet, co-producer, executive producer; Chet Doxas – clarinet, saxophone, co-producer; Steve Swallow – electric bass; Jim Doxas – drums) Trumpeter, composer and label head Dave Douglas is someone who won’t let a good thing disappear. In 2014, he formed Riverside, a quartet with tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Chet Doxas, electric bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Jim Doxas. The foursome’s self-titled debut focused on Jimmy Giuffre. Unlike typical tributes, though, Riverside included music from Giuffre’s repertoire alongside compositions written by Riverside which were inspired by Giuffre. Riverside is back and their sophomore album, the 47-minute The New National Anthem, concentrates on pianist Carla Bley, who is Swallow’s longtime partner. Aptly, only three pieces are by Bley, the other eight are originals kindled by Bley’s personality, spirit and musical outlook. There are six cuts by Douglas, one by Chet Doxas and one penned by Swallow. The four open with the title track, the 1:21 “The New National Anthem,” from Gary Burton’s 1967 LP, A Genuine Tong Funeral, which featured Bley compositions (Swallow was also involved in that […]
The Verve Jazz Ensemble — Swing-A-Nova — VerveJazz
The Verve Jazz Ensemble — Swing-A-Nova — VerveJazz 45:20 ]Available On Amazon MP3]*** A swinging release filled with a sense of energy. ( Josh Feldstein – drums/leader; Steve Einerson – piano; Elias Bailey – bass; Tatum Greenblatt – trumpet #3,4,9) Nicely nestled among a string of other jazz releases comes Swing-A-Nova by The Verve Jazz Ensemble. A charming straight-ahead session that features a potpourri of bop and bossa/Latin jazz favs, which capitalizes on this energetic trio’s technique. Toss in trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt on three tracks, and that results in a quality exploration of the material. Looking to make a statement from the get go, the band takes “’Tis Autumn” at a turbo charged tempo but everyone stays in control with this frontal attack. Clearly unafraid of such up-tempo excursions, the band with the addition of trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt, dives into Cole Porter’s “From This Moment On” which features a smart series of exchanges between and Greenblatt and drummer Feldstein. Wayne Shorter’s “Speak No Evil” is offered with a bossa nova beat that is pitch perfect as Steve Einerson piano delivers a sense of promise that is pushed along by bassist Bailey’s big tone and drummer Feldstein deft rhythmic groove. The […]
Audio News for October 11, 2017
This Is Cybersecurity Awareness Month – which was set up in 2004 by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance to ensure that every American using the Internet has the resources needed to stay safer and more secure online. Gamers’ spaces as well as the social sites like Facebook are being invaded by cybercriminals. And Macs are no longer free of attacks by hackers, as they were in the past. There is only one working software for Macs and that is Malwarebytes. Get it if you don’t have it. Why You Should Be Listening to Podcasts and How to Get Started – is a new article in Parade: Starting Podcasts Podcasts.. Though only 2% of all audio entertainment is made up of podcasts, Americans now listen at least once monthly and there are over 400,000 free podcasts on iTunes. While most are 30 minutes, they can be only ten or run several hours long. Subjects are no longer confined to cooking and computer tips. Creative freedom and worldwide reach are what set podcasting apart from radio, though for music the quality is still MP3. Left-leaning voices are beginning to match the heavy right-leaning voices on radio. Pianist […]
On Scarlatti
Scarlatti Sonata in G Minor K 8 The dotted figures partner each other through a room in which light dapples motes. The couple embraces languidly as they spin, familiar with the arc of passion, ardent, but not frantic— There will be time. The left hand strums keys like strings while a breeze from the open casement billows curtains. Clothing, pressing flesh, reveals the dancers’ quickening as they move to the final reverberation. “An ingenious jesting with art,” was what Scarlatti called his compositions, 555 of them, no two alike, all disobedient to the rules of music, inviting peasant dances and roughhousing into halls of gilt and inlay, all done while thumbing his nose at Mr. Oratorio, Mr. Opera—his father— All tumbled into the world from a man no longer young. With luck, rejection, the lapidary roil of hurt, polishes dazzling. Listen to their lilt, fingers dappling keys like wind or rain the surface of a lake, a shaking loose of light. Are his japes aimed at or made from artistry, an ingenious declaration? Hands rush to ripple, slow, and rest, releasing a beauty close to anguish, what a poet called “a hail of glistening pearls, bubbles of watery beauty.” […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
