PETRUCCIANI NHOP
Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 03/29/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Two discs 59,52 minutes each approximately. Digitally mastered in 24 bit. Recorded in 1994 at Copenhagen Jazzhouse,Denmark. The sound is open with a great feeling of spaciousness. The piano sounds fairly warm yet percussive enough to stand out in a live setting. The bass is an equal player here(as it should be) and can be heard throughout to good effect.
Hopefully this release is just the beginning of many more in the future from the folks at Dreyfus,if the quality is as fine as this release. Of the fifteen tracks all are standards with the exception of one track,"Future Child" by NHOP,which is a bass solo. This is a very short piece,just over two minutes. It stands in contrast to most of the other tracks,which are all relatively long. It's nice to hear standards that everyone is familiar with played at length by these two (late) masters. Having listened to Petrucciani for many years (both live and on recordings) especially in a solo setting,his playing here is the equal of his many solo recordings. The addition of NHOP,whom I first heard many years ago with the pianist Kenny Drew (an expatriate who found Europe more to his liking) only deepens the feel of these tracks. He was (and remains) a much revered master of the stand-up bass,with his warm tone and incredible technique.
Even though Petrucciani (and NHOP) has recorded a number of these tunes in the past,the feel of these recordings is one of discovery. Both musicians played this concert unrehearsed,which no doubt set the tone for what we hear. There is a balance between the two that is very noticeable from the beginning. Whether it's an interplay between the two instruments or a weaving of the bass into and around the piano,(a great example is "Oleo") the joy of continuous discovery is always present. Their take on Miles Davis' "All Blues" is another example as to why these two masters are still highly regarded. Here Petrucciani plays in and around the melody,adding his own little flourishes,while NHOP (who many called the human metronome) keeps perfect time,with solid grounding of the tune until he solos,which is something to hear,the beauty and placement of his notes is just right. Even the ending notes are played with a delicacy,and are very beautiful and show great insight.
These are but two examples of whats contained on these two discs. Each listener will have favorites. Each tune bears repeated listening to fully appreciate all the nuances found here. How could it be any different when listening to two musical geniuses working together,discovering this music all over again,bringing a true joy and freshness to the stage (and to us) on that night long ago. This recording ranks with Petrucciani's best-and that's saying something."
Petrucciani jazz
Richard N. Stretton | 06/05/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"excellent jazz album with michel petrucciani and niels henning oersted pederson in live jazz concert in copenhagen. highly recommended"
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1