Roland Sinth

L assus' profane werken, vooral de Franse chansons en de Duitse liederen zijn vaak doordrongen van een aanstekelijke levensvreugde, met voor die tijd vanzelfsprekende, en doorgaans onschuldige, zij het soms expliciete allusies op de lichamelijke liefde. Ook de wijn vloeit op geregelde tijdstippen. Maar zelfs platvloerse en volkse teksten, waarvan het poetisch gehalte vaak bedenkelijk was, weet Lassus om te toveren tot muzikale pareltjes. Verfijnde poezie, zoals gedichten van Pierre de Ronsard, inspireerden hem uiteraard nog meer tot het schrijven van meesterlijke miniaturen, die de tand des tijds probleemloos hebben doorstaan. Zo slaagt hij er in Bonjour mon coeur, een bijzonder verfijnd liefdesgedicht van de Ronsard, muzikaal te vertalen in een al even betoverend equivalent.

The movement to record Renaissance music in ways that illustrate its context has mostly bypassed Orlande de Lassus up to now. This is partly because his vast output is hard to get a grip on. Lassus was arguably music's first international star, and he was capable of bringing to his employers (mostly the Duke of Bavaria, already something of a cultural crossroads in the late sixteenth century) music from all around the continent.

Joe Roland - Joltin' Joe Roland (1954) {Savoy Jazz Japan SV-0215 rel 1993}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 178 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 102 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 128 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1954, 1993 Savoy Jazz / Nippon Columbia | SV-0215
Jazz / Bop / Vibes

Other than a Bethlehem album in 1955 and a few obscure titles, all of vibraphonist Joe Roland's recordings as a leader are on this enjoyable CD reissue. Roland, best-known for an early '50s stint with George Shearing's Quintet, was a excellent vibist whose style fell somewhere between Terry Gibbs and Milt Jackson. He is paired in two 1954 quintets with either Freddie Redd (who plays conventional bop) and Wade Legge (sounding at his most eccentric) on piano. However the most memorable set is from 1950 for Roland is joined by guitar (Joe Puma), bass, drums and a string quartet. The writing for the strings (which is uncredited) is quite inventive and, although the strings do not solo, they sound very much like a jazz ensemble. It is particularly interesting to hear this instrumentation playing "Half Nelson," "Dee Dee's Dance" and Roland's original "Sally Is Gone"; guest singer Paula Castle does a fine job on the haunting "Love Is Just a Plaything." Recommended.