Piano Jazz 2024

Ronald Stevenson, unknown to many outside the British isles, is considered by several pianists as one of the most important pianist-composers of the 20th century. This new album by Peter Jablonski includes several world première recordings from the Scottish composer. Following the tradition of many great pianists, Stevenson created piano transcriptions from the works of other composers and also wrote music in a variety of styles. This album offers a compelling portrait of the Scottish piano master.

The dominance of rhythm in African and African-derived music is the pillar of this journey across piano pieces by Ernesto Lecuona and Louis Moreau Gottschalk, deriving from the combination of long melodic lines, often related to popular songs, with Caribbean and, in particular, Afro-Cuban rhythms. These are shown not only in the bass line, resembling drums and percussions, but in each rhythmic layer and in the melody itself. Each piece tells a story that evokes the spirit and energy of the composers’ native lands, Cuba and Louisiana, reflecting their historical and cultural landscape characterised by multifaceted influences. A vivid portrait of the Caribbean culture, in which dance has been used as form of expression since ancestral times, is rendered through this music, with those typical rhythmic patterns, such as tresillo, cinquillo and habanera, captivating and appealing to an European audience and loved by the American and Caribbean ones, unaccustomed to seeing their soul depicted in a music score.

William Grant Still (1895-1978) from Little Rock was a pioneer in many ways. He was the first African American to successfully depart from the generally acceptable genres of jazz and pop. He lived to see a symphonic work and an opera of his performed, he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic and directed an important Southern orchestra. The respect that he acquired is reflected in two Guggenheim fellowships and five honorary doctorates, as well as a growing number of top-quality recordings of his works. This album is dedicated to the composer's impressive art songs. Two dozen works, including simple spirituals, expansive, declamatory and captivating scenes, touching miniatures and provocative challenges paint a portrait of a self-assured man asserting his musical authority.

This album presents three classic Gershwin pieces heard in premiere recordings of the new Gershwin Critical Edition. The edition seeks to create the most accurate representation of the composer's intentions using all existing manuscripts and other sources, such as piano rolls. In the case of Rhapsody in Blue the edition is based on Ferde Grofé's svmphonic arrangement though 44 measures from the original jazz band version are included. Also featured are the Second Rhapsody and the Cuban Overture, alongside Joan Tower's propulsive study in rhythm and texture, and Steven Stucky's ghostly waltz evocations.

This album highlights the composer’s artistic journey and inspirations through his various trios for violin, cello, and piano. It explores themes of nostalgia, rhythm, and commemoration, while describing the intense creative process that led to the creation of each piece. From contemplating the night to commemorating Holocaust victims, each trio represents a unique emotional journey, captured in music rich in textures and feelings.