Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Cyrus Chestnut: Blessed Quietness

Cyrus Chestnut: Blessed Quietness

By C. Michael Bailey
December 1, 1999
View read count

Seasonal Piano Pianist Cyrus Chestnut is the latest of jazz artists to release a solo piano holidays disc. Other recent and notable examples include Dave Brubeck's Christmas (Teldec 83410), Marcus Robert's Prayer for Peace (Novus 63124), and Dave McKenna's Christmas Ivory (Concord 4772). For y entertainment dollar, this Chestnut Disc and the McKenna disc are running in a dead heat.

Like all who apprentice in a Marsalis band, Cyrus Chestnut has talent steeped in the older traditions of gospel, swing, and stride piano. This disc reminded me much of the recent repackaging of Monk's solo Columbia sides. Chestnut plays a good bit of this disc in an easy loping stride. He parts with Marcus Roberts in his performance by having a relaxed and confident ride with the music as opposed to abject reverence of Roberts. His choice of material differs form others in that he restricts himself to hymns and religious carols. The stand out pieces of the disc is a Lisztian "Holy, Holy, Holy" and a boogie woogie "What a Friend We have in Jesus." A super seasonal offering from a splendid pianist.

Track Listing

Over My Head; Jesus Loves Me; We Three Kings; Walk With Me Jesus; Silent Night; Amazing Grace; The Old Rugged Cross; Holy, Holy, Holy; The First Noel; Blessed Quietness; What A Friend We Have In Jesus; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (55:20)=20

Personnel

Cyrus Chestnut

piano

Cyrus Chestnut - Piano.

Album information

Title: Blessed Quietness | Year Released: 1997 | Record Label: Atlantic Jazz

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Holiday Music '99
< Previous

Sun Ra Arkestra Directed by Marshall...
Next >

Cyrus Chestnut Concerts

Oct 1 Wed

Cyrus Chestnut Quartet

Dizzy's Club
New York, NY

Oct 2 Thu

Cyrus Chestnut Quartet

Dizzy's Club
New York, NY

Oct 3 Fri

Cyrus Chestnut Quartet

Dizzy's Club
New York, NY

Oct 4 Sat

Cyrus Chestnut Quartet

Dizzy's Club
New York, NY

Dec 5 Fri

CYRUS CHESTNUT

Scullers Jazz Club
Boston, MA

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.