Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles (CD Review)
Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays the Beatles Brad Mehldau Nonesuch Records Pianist Brad Mehldau is a chameleon-like figure, able to play music in many styles and a creative…
Mivos Quartet Plays Steve Reich (CD Review)
Steve Reich: The String Quartets Mivos Quartet Deutsche Grammophon Steve Reich wrote his three string quartets for the Kronos Quartet, who have premiered, recorded (for Nonesuch), and continued to champion…
The Clarinet Trio on Leo (CD Review)
The Clarinet Trio Transformations and Further Passages Jürgen Kupke, clarinet; Michael Thieke, alto clarinet, clarinet; Gebhard Ullmann, bass clarinet Leo Records LR 921 Gebhard Ullmann is celebrating his sixty-fifth birthday…
András Schiff – Clavichord on ECM (CD Review)
J.S. Bach András Schiff Clavichord He was the best organist in Europe and a mean harpsichordist too, but Johann Sebastian Bach loved playing the clavichord. The intimacy of its soft…
Mother, Sister, Daughter: Musica Secreta Sings the Stories of Women (CD Review)
Mother, Sister, Daughter Musica Secreta, directed by Laurie Stras Lucky Music Over a career that spans thirty years, Musica Secreta has established themselves as one of the premiere all-female vocal…
Clarinets and More Clarinets: Alder plays Chrysakis (CD Review)
Milieu Interieur Jason Alder, clarinets Clarinet music by Thanos Chrysakis Thanos Chrysakis is a prominent composer from Greece who works in electroacoustic music, as a performer and creating sound environments,…
Interview with Nina Berman and Steven Beck: Singing Babbitt
Milton Babbitt (1916-2011) was known for being one of the principal composers to develop twelve-tone composition. Despite the complexity of his music, he wrote a great deal for voice: a…
Benjamin Lackner – The Last Decade (CD Review)
Benjamin Lackner Last Decade Benjamin Lackner, piano; Mathias Eick, trumpet; Jérôme Regard, bass; Manu Katche, drums ECM Records Pianist Benjamin Lackner makes his ECM debut with Last Decade. Joined by…
Whit Dickey Quartet – Root Perspectives (CD Review)
Whit Dickey Quartet Root Perspectives Tony Malaby, tenor saxophone; Matthew Shipp, piano; Brandon Lopez, bass; Whit Dickey, drums TAO Forms CD Drummer Whit Dickey has put together a formidable quartet…
Duo Gazzana on ECM (CD Review)
Duo Gazzana Kõrvits/Schumann/Grieg ECM Records Sisters Natascia Gazzana, violinist, and Raffaella Gazzana, pianist, have recorded a number of releases for ECM that program a combination of great romantic chamber works…