(ACT) When it comes to hosting great modern jazz piano trios, Laeiszhalle, the lovely concert hall in Hamburg, has what the police might call “previous”. This was where E.S.T. made their finest concert recording (possibly their finest ever recording) in November… Read More ›
(Ground Up/Universal) The jazz-funk fusioneers of the moment acted as hosts, arrangers and backing band for a specially convened session with a variety of singers for the first Family Dinner, all the proceeds going to the Virginian arts centre which… Read More ›
(In + Out Records IORCDDVD771229) There is a fantastic tenor sax solo by James Stuart in RA#2, the second track on this CD (and on the DVD which is available as part of a “limited deluxe edition). He fast-tongues a… Read More ›
Radio Radhe: Rites Of Holi (ECM DVD 378 3933 ECM Blu-ray 378 3934) Prashant Bhargava’s richly atmospheric documentary footage of the Hindu festival of Holi is so visually splendid that it really needs no words, and I suppose it could… Read More ›
(Intuition INT34422 (CD+DVD)) The South African pianist has just turned 80, and here he is in Sacile in north eastern Italy in a studio with just a Fazioli grand piano for company. He looks back over his life in music,… Read More ›
(ECM DVD 378 0649, Blu-ray 378 0650) The Memphis-born musician has been recording for ECM since 1989, but of course his musical career goes way, way back before then, to playing as a teenager with bluesman Howlin’ Wolf and jazz… Read More ›
(jazzwerkstatt JW127) While group playing, even duos, seem to me to be essentially external conversations in music, the solo performance is a deeply personal and internal affair. An audience may be present, but it’s still a conversation between the artist… Read More ›
El Encuentro: A Film for Bandoneon and Cello By Norbert Wiedmer and Enrique Ros (ECM 760 2841) In the ECM film called Sounds and Silence, also co-directed by Wiedmer, we were introduced to the partnership of the bandoneon player from… Read More ›
Travels With Manfred Eicher A film by Peter Guyer & Norbert Wiedmer DVD ECM 2769887 Blu-ray ECM 2769887 CD ECM 2770080 Near the beginning of this fascinating musical travelogue, Nora Pärt, wife of the composer Arvo Pärt, describes how, in… Read More ›
Live In Marciac (Nonesuch 520275) The American pianist’s two most recently released recordings were Highway Rider, which featured his trio with added musicians and an orchestra playing live in the studio, and a recital of original and standard love songs… Read More ›
Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette: Standards I/II Tokyo (ECM DVD) ***** To mark the 25th anniversary of this possibly greatest of all piano trios, ECM has released a double DVD of two Tokyo concerts from 1985 and ’86. For those of… Read More ›
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