Francesca Prihasti: Beneath the Sun

Gracefulness and charm are the order of the day on Beneath the Sun, the fourth recording by Indonesian-born, New York-based pianist and composer Francesca Prihasti. Brevity also plays a small role, as the album's playing time is a relatively concise 36 minutes.

To her credit, Prihaski makes the most of them, playing bright and alluring piano on five of her stylish and seductive melodies, Fender Rhodes on the album's warmhearted title song  (written for her children, Marie and Maximilian) and "Till We Have Faces." Prihaski leads a quartet most of the way, with saxophonist Nick Brust adding his expressive alto voice on "Faces" and soprano on the closing "Fortitude." Prihasti's husband, Nicholas Vardanega, is the ensemble's well-spoken guitarist, while bassist Drew Gress and drummer Mark Ferber lend unflagging rhythmic support.

Even though their presence is essential, Prihaski leans more heavily on melodic invention than rhythmic variation, and tempos are slow to moderate throughout. Within those parameters the group works seamlessly, breathing robust life into each of her meticulously designed themes. The music is thematic—that is to say, Prihaski writes with specific images or concepts in mind— but to the listener, that is largely irrelevant. What matters most is whether the music itself is worthwhile, which, happily, is the case here on every number.

The opening tune, "In Between," Prihaski writes, is about discernment: "knowing when to embrace nuance, and when to draw a clear line." Philosopher Thomas Aquinas served as the inspiration for the upbeat "Reason and Will," a charming village near Sydney, Australia, for the equally seductive "Leura" (wherein Gress takes a splendid solo). "Till We Have Faces" focuses on the masks worn by almost everyone during the Covid-19 pandemic, "Unanswered Questions" on the need for the courage "to trust, to leap, to allow life to unfold."

As has always been true, there is a large number of talented and versatile musicians Beneath the Sun, and Prihaski proves here that she should be numbered among them. Simply put, she is the complete package: a superb composer, arranger and player who has embarked on the road to excellence and is heading in the right direction.

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