Record Reviews

IAN CARR ~ SOUNDS & SWEET AIRS CELESTIAL HARMONIES 13064 (Barcode: 013711306422) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1992 Released: 1993 This is a delightful and criminally little known album by British Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader / author Ian CarrFind albums by this artist, recorded with the great pianist / composer John TaylorFind albums by this artist, who plays the organ of the Southwark cathedral in London, where this music was recorded. The album presents twelve pieces, ten of which were composed by Carr and two co-composed by Carr and Taylor. Nine of the pieces are recorded by the duo and three are trumpet solos. The music was inspired by works of William ShakespeareFind albums by this artist, whose younger brother Edmond lies buried in the cathedral. The music was recorded, edited and produced by the lamented Jon HisemanFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded without being previously rehearsed and is therefore completely unique, is not surprisingly absolutely stunning. Carr found the ideal partner for this endeavor, as Taylor´s highly aesthetic and deeply artistic approach suits this music ideally and his organ parts are delicate and sophisticated, but kept somewhat on a second plane to accompany the leading trumpet parts. Carr´s virtuosic trumpet / flugelhorn parts are no surprise to his many followers, but he can be rarely heard playing with such lyricism and melancholy, as expressed here. Carr proved himself as a diverse composer and performer throughout his long and fruitful career, but this album is certainly quite different from most of his Jazz oriented activities. This music, although obviously improvised, is also heavily influenced by Church and Classical Music structures, which dominate its character. Overall this album, which sadly was one of his last chapters in his recorded legacy, is a superb reminder of his great talents and a fond memory of his lovely personality, which we all miss. In case anybody is interested to buy this album, it is still available, so don´t even think twice!

Updated: 26/08/2020Posted: 26/08/2020

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MAREK NOVOTNY CROSSOVER SEXTET ~ UPROSTRED CASU GALEN 24 244 (Barcode: 8594042902672) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by Czech pianist / composer / bandleader Marek NovotnyFind albums by this artist, recorded with his CrossOver SextetFind albums by this artist, which also includes vocalist Josefina CermakovaFind albums by this artist, violinist Pavel HralaFind albums by this artist, cellist Anna KalhausovaFind albums by this artist, bassist Max MakagonovFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomas HobzekFind albums by this artist. Larger ensembles were also involved in the recording, like the CrossOver chamber choir, CrossOver chamber wind ensemble and the CrossOver string quintet, as well as guitarist Libor SmoldasFind albums by this artist on two tracks, which sheds light on the scope and complexity of this project. The album presents twelve tracks, all composed by Novotny, with lyrics (in Czech) by Lucie VojtkovaFind albums by this artist, except one track, which is a William ShakespeareFind albums by this artist sonnet and the final track, which is an instrumental. The album offers superb sound quality, despite the density of the vocal and instrumental contents. The entire project is obviously a song cycle, which combines elements of Jazz and Classical Music, as well as Folkloristic influences od Czech / East European lyricism and melancholy, which dominate both the melodic / harmonic framework of his compositions, and the aesthetics of the entire project. The music is exquisitely put together, arranged and performed by the excellent team of musicians and singers, so good in fact, that the Czech lyrics are not an obstacle to listeners not familiar with the language and are able to enjoy the album in full. Although the music is kept closer to the lighter, somewhat Pop oriented outline, it loses nothing of its depth and complexity, which proves the excellent arranging skills of Novotny, who manages to keep the music bouncy and uncluttered, despite its multilayered complexity and depth, and as such acceptable to a large audience. In many respects, the entire concept / production / recording work behind this album are a true school examples of the artistry behind recording industry, which could be studied by people, who intend to work in that area. Hats off! Overall, this is a delightful piece of music and a sublime album, which brings a smile to every listener, who is able to appreciate the talent and professionalism behind the album’s production. Congratulations to all the people involved and to the Czech GalenFind albums on this label Records, who are a true champion of great music originating in the Czech Republic.

Updated: 12/04/2025Posted: 12/04/2025

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend