Record Reviews

RICHARD GALLIANO ~ AROUND GERSHWIN PENTATONE 8717306262293 (Barcode: 8717306262293) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2023 - 2024 Released: 2024 This is a solo album by French Jazz accordion / bandoneon virtuoso Richard GallianoFind albums by this artist, which as the title indicates, is dedicated to the music of George GershwinFind albums by this artist, but also other early 20th Century composers, like Sergei RachmaninoffFind albums by this artist, Eric SatieFind albums by this artist, Claude DebussyFind albums by this artist, Maurice RavelFind albums by this artist and Gabriel FaureFind albums by this artist, all adapted for accordion by Galliano, and also including a couple of pieces composed by himself. The album presents fourteen tracks and offers a splendid sound quality. I have been following the career of Galliano since as long as I can remember (he is almost exactly one year older than me) and he was always one of my favorite Jazz musicians, long before he achieved the international fame and recognition. His incredible sensitivity and power of expression are almost unparalleled, and his openness to other musical cultures and genres makes him a true total Artist. His accumulated contribution to European Jazz is simply colossal. This is not the first album which finds Galliano interpreting Classical music, and his earlier albums with music by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist, Antonio VivaldiFind albums by this artist or Wolfgang Amadeus MozartFind albums by this artist are all warmly recommended, but this album is closest to my heart, for several reasons. Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” is my all-time favorite piece of music (as irresponsible as that kind of statement might sound), and Galliano’s interpretation of it is simply Godly. I have heard hundreds of recordings of RIB, but this is definitely one of the most profoundly moving ones, especially in view of the completely new environment and the ability to overcome the devilishly difficult score and underlying changes of mood / melody / tempo, etc., which Galliano conquers with his usual wit, intelligence and charm. But perhaps more important is the statement, subtly hidden behind the vail, which places Gershwin with his “serious” Classical Music contemporaries, recognizing his position as a no less “serious” composer, which is more often than not denied from Gershwin, mostly recognized for his work as a songwriter, with his Classical compositions often ignored and neglected, and which deserves to be put straight. Overall, this is a marvelous album, full of delightful music, brilliantly performed and cleverly put together, which puts a new light on the sublime music composed by Gershwin, and offers an hour of tete-a-tete between the listener and one of the greatest musicians out there. Another great production by the PentatoneFind albums on this label label and of course, this is something way beyond recommendation…

Updated: 04/10/2024Posted: 02/10/2024

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DOMINIK KISIEL ~ STOP ALPAKA 015 (Barcode: 308175527859) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the debut solo piano album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Dominik KisielFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original “improvised compositions” by Kisiel, grouped into three one part pieces and two three-part pieces. Kisiel made an impressive entry into the Polish Jazz scene about five years ago, recording several excellent albums as a leader and sideman and making a rapid progress from mainstream oriented projects into more sophisticated, even Avant-Garde vistas, which are most impressive and mark him as one of the young musicians to be watched carefully. This album follows the a.m. development trend faithfully and takes Kisiel further into the borderline between contemporary Classical Music and Jazz, analogous to his ambitious duo project “Delta ScutiFind albums with this title” with Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist. The music eschews clearly stated melody lines and offers a flow of notes expressed by continuous arpeggios, which are more about dynamics and expressions than the melodic / harmonic development. The intensity of the music is somehow reminiscent of the piano works by Sergei RachmaninoffFind albums by this artist, with a somewhat updated piano technique of course. Despite the fact that the music is improvised, it offers remarkable coherence and continuity, and even without stating explicit melodic themes it creates an impression of being “subconsciously” highly melodic. The entire album sounds like one continuous piece of music, which seems to be “unstoppable” and demands to be heard continuously. Although the music lasts only thirty-three minutes, the emotional and intellectual intensity demanded to listen to it attentively is overwhelming and leaves the listener highly charged. Overall, this is one of the most potent pieces of music I came across in a very long time and although I have listened to it several times, it obviously still hides many wonderful discoveries in its depth. It is a most remarkable piece of creativity, a true musical deliverance from the mundane non-Culture that surrounds us today and a proclamation (no less) of things to come. Regardless of its cross-genre characteristics, it clearly emerges as a prophecy of music merged into “one” higher consciousness of Artistic expression.

Updated: 09/09/2021Posted: 09/09/2021

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