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Alexander von Schlippenbach: Slow Pieces For Aki: Piano Solo
ByBut with his solo outings, that is not the case. Though known as an avant-garde-ist, on record von Schlippenbach has explored the more traditional sounds of Thelonious Monk and Jelly Roll Morton and, with his Intakt Records solo piano discography, he has delved into, again, Monk on Plays Monk (2012), and a measured and often introspective beauty on 2005's Twelve Tone Tales, Vol 1 and Twelve Tone Tales, Vol.2.
The creation of Slow Pieces For Aki: Piano Solo was given a nudge by von Schlippenbach's life partner, pianist Aki Takase, who questioned the necessity of speed, volume and intensity in the realm of free improvisation. Von Schlippenbach answers her question with twenty-one short tunesrunning from just over one minute to just over four minutes, ten of them improvisationslaid down with an almost religious deliberation, a measured music where every note rings with a sense of meaning and directness.
Solo piano is a special challenge. Every jazz pianist worth his/her salt goes there; Art Tatum, Cecil Taylor, Jessica Williams, Keith Jarrett, Fred Hersch and more have navigated success at going it alone at the keyboard. To that list of solo stars, add Alexander von Schlippenbach, with his sixty-plus years experience in the crafting of compelling sounds, for his two Twelve Tone Tales sets, and for his solemn sonic seduction of Slow Pieces For Aki: Piano Solo.
Track Listing
Haru No Yuki (Frühling Im Schnee); Improvisation I; Torso; Improvisation II; Improvisation III; Tell You; Improvisation IV; Cleo; Improvisation V; Naniga Nandemo; Improvisation VI; A-Blues; Blues b; Improvisation VII; I Told You; Improvisation VIII; Improvisation IX; Dydo; Improvisation X; Frage Nicht; Zycado.
Personnel
Album information
Title: Slow Pieces For Aki - Piano Solo | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Intakt Records
Comments
About Alexander von Schlippenbach
Instrument: Piano
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