This is a superb artist-released CD that would never see the light of day from a major label. Jeremy Kurtz is the principal bassist of the San Diego Symphony and has an extensive recital background. His wide musical interests are shown by his study with the jazz bassist John Clayton and classical/bluegrass artist-composer Edgar Meyer. Both of the modern works on the program date from the 1990s and both are tonal and most enjoyable.
Some of David Anderson’s influences are Shostakovich, Mahler and Jaco Pastorious – to give an idea of his sonata. Luis Prado is from Puerto Rico and his music is known for its strong melodies and emotional content. It is an excellent programming choice to include a work of earlier music, and to end the program with it for a change. Boismortier’s sonata was published in 1734 and was labeled as being for cello, gamba or bassoon. In the baroque spirit of looseness in pinning down what instruments music was written for, Jeremy Kurtz has chosen to perform the sonata on his bass with the continuo part supplied by harpsichord and bassoon. Its four movements are sprightly and fresh-sounding, and the bass demonstrates its quite wide frequency range – not at all limited to the subterranean regions. Kurtz has a rich cello-like tone and his instrument is perfectly captured in the first rate recordings. Some single-instrument recitals such as this – however well-played – fall into an academically-required-recital bag rather than a disc that would provide enjoyable listening anytime. But not this CD.
Unusual tech note on this disc: There is an additional nine-minute selection, “Outtakes from a Work in Progress” which is accessed by pausing at the beginning of the first track and then rewinding until the display shows -9 minutes, and then releasing the button. It says it doesn’t work on all CD players and wouldn’t on mine so I can’t report on it.
– John Sunier
