The Listening Guide
🎶 The listening guide: five albums, released during the past twelve months, chosen around a weekly theme 🎶
This week, we select five solo piano albums that reflect the scope of the instrument and the mastery of those who play it.
A Bu – Live at Beijing Poly Theater https://abujazz.bandcamp.com/a…/live-at-beijing-poly-theater
Alfa Mist – On My Ones https://alfamist.bandcamp.com/album/on-my-ones
Andrew McCormack – Solo https://orcd.co/p52pboe
Aki Takase – Hokusai https://akitakase.bandcamp.com/album/hokusai
Robert Mitchell – Embers https://robertmitchell.bandcamp.com/album/embers
Album of the Week
Our NQ Jazz album of the week is Sélène Saint-Aimé’s debut LP, Mare Undarum, upon which the contrabassist, singer and composer harnesses selenography — a study of the surface and physical features of the Moon — to shape her compositions. The album’s nine tracks include six original compositions by Saint-Aimé, alongside three ‘re-compositions’ of works by Steve Coleman, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and Modest Mussorgsky.
Classic Album
As the great trombonist Raul de Souza turns 86 today, we draw attention to a Flora Purim classic featuring his playing. Backed by an all-star crew including Ron Carter on bass, George Duke on keys, Airto Moreira on percussion, plus a range of special guests, Purim’s voice soars on a range of energetic fusion pieces, as well as delicate and meditative ballads. Raul de Souza can be heard soloing on the brilliant ‘Casa Forte’ and ‘Vera Cruz’, combining elegantly with fellow trombonist George Bohanon.