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BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata in A Major; Violin Sonata No. 4 in a; Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major – Zanta Hofmeyr, v./ Ilia Radoslavov, p. – Blue Griffin

by Audiophile Audition | Feb 26, 2017 | Classical CD Reviews

Energetic, well-crafted readings of three selected Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano. BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 12, No. 2; Violin Sonata No. 4 in a, Op. 23; Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1 – Zanta Hofmeyr, v./ Ilia Radoslavov, p. – Blue Griffin BGR425, 57:45 (1/9/17) [Distr. by Albany] ****: Recorded 13-15 March 2016, these three Beethoven sonatas from these two gifted enthusiasts, Zanta Hofmeyr and Ilia Radoslavov, enjoy an immediacy of effect quite captivating, given the crisp articulation from their respective instruments. The 1799 A Major Sonata (dedicated to Antonio Salieri) sails in easy, neat triplet figures between the two principals in its opening Allegro vivace, whose “striving for strange modulations” irritated one contemporary reviewer of the work. Like the opening movement, the Andante proceeds by patient imitation, intoning a sweet tune in a minor and then weaving a lyrical aria, dolce et legato, between them. Beethoven saves his quietly revolutionary new style – at least insofar as Mozart and Haydn had been predecessors – for his Allegro piacevole finale, in which syncopations and shifts in dynamics keep both players and listeners absorbed. Beethoven’s sense of humor exhibits itself in the […]

Freddy Cole – He Was The King – HighNote

by Audiophile Audition | Apr 24, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Freddy Cole – He Was The King – HighNote HCD 7286 58:18 ****: A heartfelt tribute from the most reliant interpreter of the Nat Cole songbook. (Freddy Cole – vocals, piano (tracks 6,7); Houston Person – tenor saxophone (tracks 1,2,5,8); John di Martino – piano (tracks 4,9,11); Randy Napoleon – guitar; Harry Allen – tenor saxophone; Joe Magnarelli – trumpet; Josh Brown – trombone; Elias Bailey – bass; Quentin Baxter – drums) Lineage is an uncertain commodity when it comes to the arts, sports, and business. The success of one individual in a particular generation does not guarantee that either siblings or progeny will carry that gene along with them. In the case of the Cole clan, it has more or less worked out. Freddy Cole is the younger brother of Nat and the uncle of Natalie and while Nat may have been the most successful, both Freddy and Natalie made prominent names for themselves in their own right. In terms of longevity, Freddy is the last of this family still in show business, and at eighty-five, pays homage to his older brother with the album He Was The King. In deciding to tackle this project, Cole surrounded himself with […]

Raoul Bjorkenheim/eCsTaSy – Out of the Blue – Cuneiform

by Audiophile Audition | Feb 4, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Finnish jazz and improvisation which is unpredictable and eclectic. Raoul Bjorkenheim/eCsTaSy – Out of the Blue [TrackList follows] – Cuneiform, Rune 413, 41:23 [10/16/15] ****: (Raoul Bjorkenheim – electric guitar, producer; Pauli Lyytinen – tenor, bass and soprano saxophones, mey; Jori Huhtala – doublebass; Marrku Ounaskari – drums) There is a side to modern jazz where allogamy, or cross-fertilization, is the norm rather than the opposite. It’s where lines get blurred: jazz fusion, prog rock, postmodern material, raucous noise, and more commingle. Guitarists such as Nels Cline, Bill Frisell and Sonny Sharrock have fused those lines. Finland’s Raoul Bjorkenheim is another guitarist who tackles disparate, but somehow connected, improvisational ground. His quartet, eCsTaSy, put out a debut in 2014. In late 2015 Raoul Bjorkenheim/eCsTaSy issued a sophomore release, the eight-track, 40-minute outing, Out of the Blue. Like its predecessor, Out of the Blue is a mix of harder-edged tunes and longer pieces which have elliptical shapes. Moods can suddenly shift, textures can be intimate one moment and strident the next. The overriding process is music which is very aware of its own individuality. Several tracks showcase Bjorkenheim’s electric guitar, and are paced with tinges of rock and toughened jazz. Opener […]