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CD reviews: Originality makes Bad Plus stand out
The Bad Plus (Columbia)
Two and 1/2 stars (out of four)
The piano work of Ethan Iverson is not as virtuosic as that of Keith Jarrett or Kenny Barron, but is refreshing in its originality. The same can be said for this trio, that drew attention with its examination of new material but has taken a slightly more traditional shift on this album. The band's clever look at "Chariots of Fire" stands out the brightest along with the original "Anthem for the Earnest."
--Bob Karlovits
'Johann Sebastian Bach. The Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo.'
Gidon Kremer (ECM New Series)
Three and a half stars (out of five)
Wedding contemporary attitudes toward baroque violin playing with a highly personal interpretation, Gidon Kremer's new recording of Bach's sonatas and partitas makes a powerful impression.
The music is not only the summit of the solo violin repertoire, but also among the most profound in classical music. The violinist is a consummate virtuoso, but also one of the most individual interpreters before the public. Kremer takes a particularly dramatic approach, with a wide dynamic range and generally spare use of vibrato.
Kremer plays the opening Adagio of the G minor Sonata as a struggle to achieve its progress with powerful broken chords and volatility in the melodic contours. The exemplary recording sets the violinist in a nicely reverberant context, presenting his sound in the most favorable light.
-- Mark Kanny
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