Jacques Loussier Mozart

This doesn't really work, but Jacques Loussier's attempt to make Mozart work as jazz is sufficiently complex enough to make you ask, as you're hearing it, why it isn't working, and maybe that's a worthwhile thing. As the liner notes point out, it is most often Bach among classical composers whose music has served as the basis for jazz experiments. Mozart-jazz is much rarer.

An acclaimed French pianist known for his jazz interpretations of classical works, Jacques Loussier rose to prominence leading his trio in the 1960s. A gifted classical musician in his youth, Loussier gravitated toward jazz and issued a series of innovative, genre-bending albums under the Play Bach title in which he reworked the music of Johanne Sebastian Bach.

An acclaimed French pianist known for his jazz interpretations of classical works, Jacques Loussier rose to prominence leading his trio in the 1960s. A gifted classical musician in his youth, Loussier gravitated toward jazz and issued a series of innovative, genre-bending albums under the Play Bach title in which he reworked the music of Johanne Sebastian Bach.

Jacques Loussier Trio - The Brandenburgs
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 287 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Telarc Jazz # CD-83644 | Country/Year: Europe 2006
Genre: Jazz, Classical | Style: Crossover

The CD is a return to the Trio’s roots in Bach via a new jazz interpretation of the entire six Brandenburg Concertos, in order. But this time a rather new approach is in the works. As described by Loussier himself: “Whereas my older recordings were about adding to Bach, this record is about reducing his music to its essence, taking the main themes and working with them as any jazz musician might in playing a theme, an improvisation, and a return to the theme.”

The Jazz Club series is an attractive addition to the Verve catalogue. With it's modern design and popular choice of repertoire, the Jazz Club is not only opened for Jazz fans, but for everyone that loves good music.

Compilation album recording sessions held for the Verve label by numerous and recognized jazz musicians and groups, with common thematic issues adapting great classical music. Among them is more frequent adaptations of J. S. Bach (up to 7), and authors such as Vivaldi, Beethoven, Mozart, Ravel, Chopin, Debussy and others. The recording features jazz arrangements of internationally renowned performers such as Stan Getz, Bill Evans Trio, Jacques Loussier, Gerry Mulligan, The Swingle Singers and others.

Boundary crossing has become a part of musical life for classical and jazz musicians in recent years, opening ears and minds to sound worlds once jealously guarded by purist audiences and critics. The musical meeting of Emmanuel Pahud, one of the world’s most celebrated classical flute players, with acclaimed jazz pianist Jacky Terrasson has created a fresh, beguiling take on melodies originally conceived for the formal setting of the concert hall or recital room.