Two Tone

This compilation taken from two seminal albums in the history of Eastern European jazz - particularly in what used to be Yugoslavia - is a welcome find in the bins of the United States and England. Saxophonist Tone Jansa is a giant of a man, and a saxophonist who has much in common with both Pharaoh Sanders and the giant who influenced him, John Coltrane. This quartet made a total of five records, and one in quintet and sextet settings. But the two that are referred to here should be reissued in their entirety. Oh well, what can ya do? The first two tracks of this outrageously beautiful, spiritually motivated open modal jazz is from the Tone Jansa Jazz Kvartet disc on RTB in 1976, and the last four are from the Tone Jansa Kvartet disc on the same label from 1978…

Howard Alden and Bucky Pizzarelli played together a number of times over the years during jazz parties and in concerts, though the two seven-string guitarists never made a full CD together until In a Mellow Tone (though Alden appeared on a few tracks of Pizzarelli's A Portrait). Both heirs to the legacy of guitarist George Van Eps (who popularized the instrument), these two masters make magic on any session in which either of them takes place; combining the two meant that there was no reason for any additional players.

In this series, Marc Gabbana walks you through his visual development process as he creates the TribalBot, a forest dwelling robotic vehicle. In this second volume, he begins by adding tone to his pen drawings using Adobe Photoshop. Marc demonstrates how to work with values and shading, and he shares his methodology for layer management. He also shows you which custom brushes he uses as he adds dimension to his designs. Through his gray scale paintings, Marc emphasizes how value, composition and lighting are all integral for creating drama and mood in a scene..

This disc begins with the thirty-five minute 'Concerto for two Violins', which was never orchestrated, sadly, by Skalkottas, but is played in the version for two pianos and two violins. It is a scintillating three movement composition with a terrifically virtuosic ten minute rondo finale. I ended up breathless and full of admiration for the composer and especially the performers for whom this music cannot have been familiar. It doesn't take long to get into Skalkottas's language. Twelve tone yes but melodic and full of Greek dance rhythms as the first movement demonstrates. A unique blend…….To listen to Skalkottas is a unique experience perhaps a little hairshirt at times but like a glass of Retsina there is nothing else quite as memorable or as addictive.

Gary Higginson @ www.musicweb-international.com

English Tone Pictures by Sir John Barbirolli - Side One features two very gifted composers in John Ireland and Arnold Bax, Band 1 features John Ireland (1879-1962) who is described as one of the most gifted composers of the English 'Renaissance'. Arnold Bax confessed himself a brazen romantic; yet his romanticism was as much intellectual as purely emotional, and though his music is full of personal feeling he was not an emotionally self indulgent composer.