Baptiste Trotignon

One has always known that a piano in the right pair of hands could all but supplant a symphonic orchestra. Pianists down the ages from Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff to Rubinstein, Richter, Van Cliburn, Glenn Gould and Martha Argerich have proved that. More to the point of this album Pétrole, though, the prodigious Labèque sisters, Katia and Marielle have often proved that each section of the orchestra can often pale into insignificance when pianists such as them take over the landscape of the instrument together.

Chante is an exemplary cultivation of Aldo Romano's jardín of romantic songs. His poignant intimacy of feelings is genuinely conveyed in this stylish set of emotional songs replete with rhythmic waves, passionate lyrics, and beautiful music. With superb accompaniment from Nelson Veras on acoustic guitar, Rémi Vignolo on double bass, André "Dee" Ceccarelli on drums, Francesco Bearzatti on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Flavio Boltro on trumpet, and Baptiste Trotignon on piano, the pleasure you will derive from Romano's poetic expressions is priceless.

Avant-garde music is not my cup of tea: I usually find it dark and formless, and the more "out" it goes, the faster I turn it off. But when I heard the opening track here, a bass and drum derangement of "La Mer," I was struck by how playful it could be. Same thing for the next and title track, a driving funk/Latin mix, where pianist Baptiste Trotignon and saxophonist Rick Margitza join the party, contributing to the genial celebration. I was surprised that I could not only follow the journey, but enjoy it as well. Either my ears have grown after a decade of reviewing, or these guys have produced something special. Perhaps both.

In between projects and musical collaborations in Europe and Africa, Brussels saxophonist Toine Thys recorded his third album as a trio, ‘The Optimist’, in New York with some major names from Jazz and African music. Desertions, snowstorms, cancelled flights, fires and calendar issues; everything seemed to go against the creation of this new album. With unbeatable energy and optimism in the face of all the trials, Toine Thys finally managed to bring these magnificent musicians together in a New York studio to record this album.

Recorded with the Paris Mozart Orchestra and 2 Jazz Musicians, this is Natalie Dessay’s exciting first album release for Sony Classical.