Search - Marian Mcpartland, Jack Dejohnette :: Piano Jazz

Great performances

DANIEL MILES | FOUNTAIN HILLS, ARIZONA United States | 11/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Known mainly as a drummer, Jack DeJohnette proves here that he's also an excellent pianist. He talks about his experiences playing with Miles Davis and Bill Evans, then he and Marian pay homage to both. Ordinarilly an exclusive showcase for piano duets, an unusual aspect of this episode is the presence of Christian McBride on upright bass. It's interesting to hear how a great bassist can tighten up and solidify the music. Midway through the program DeJohnette leaves the piano and switches to the drums. The sound of the trio is much more powerful than most entries in the Piano Jazz series which are typically casual, off the cuff affairs. The musical performances on this cd are so good that had they left out the conversation entirely I would've still given it five stars! The cd closes with a rousing rendition of John Coltrane's "Mr. P.C.". Marian's enthusiasm for the proceedings is apparent in that she sets a new personal record for saying "this is really a kick" the most times. If you're the least bit curious about this one, I suggest you pick it up. I sincerely doubt you'll be disappointed."