Paul Mccartney in Jazz A Jazz Tribute to Paul Mccartney (2023)

Readers of contemporary fiction will immediately realise that Czech pianist Emil Viklicky's release is inspired by a novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, himself connected with Prague courtesy of his having received the Kafka Award there in 2006. The album contains seven Viklicky originals with suitably Murakami-connected titles ('The Boy Named Crow', 'Miss Saeki Theme' etc.) and six non-originals from the worlds of jazz (Herbie Hancock's 'Dolphin Dance', Duke Ellington's 'Solitude', Jimmy Rowles's 'Peacocks') and popular music (Paul McCartney's 'Eleanor Rigby', Michel Legrand's 'Windmills of Your Mind') so tellingly referenced in Murakami's works. It's not strictly necessary, however, to be familiar with the Japanese writer's oeuvre (though it helps) to appreciate the sheer intensity and virtuosity of Viklicky's playing throughout this powerful and affecting album…