Alexander Von Schlippenbach is one of the luminaries in the world of free jazz. He’s a fine pianist who makes full and absolute use out of his weapon of choice.
Piano
[Video] Vagif Mustafa Zadeh – Jazz Compositions
Those who know me well, say, for at least 15 years, know that I have tried throughout my life to be a champion for Soviet Jazz. They had something exquisite that the world didn’t have full access to until the end of Communism. One of these treasures hailed from Azerbaijan.
With the passing of B. B. King a few days ago, I was reminded of a story when the legendary blues guitarist came to the Soviet Union to watch a jazz festival. After seeing Vagif Mustafa Zade play, he named the stunned pianist as the ‘true king of the blues’. Vagif would die at age 35 in 1979, suffering a heart attack while performing onstage at a concert in Uzbekistan.
May his memory be eternal.
Many thanks to Funked Up East for their incredible selection of Soviet music.
[Video] Karlheinz Stockhausen – Klavierstück XIV
Pianist Bernhard Wambach deftly interprets this 1984 composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen.
[Video] Lubomyr Melnik – Requiem (Fragment)
Lubomyr Melnik has been featured on these pages previously. Expect to see a lot more of his work as the years roll by.
[Video] Pharoah Sanders – Greeting to Saud (Brother McCoy Tyner)
Incredible. One master pianist giving a hat-tip to another, as Pharoah Sanders tips his cap to fellow jazz piano demigod McCoy Tyner.
[Sample] Lubomyr Melnyk – The Six Day Moment
Today must be a great day for piano music, as it’s been on my mind. Lubomir Melnyk is a composer and pianist who hails from Ukraine (and now residing in Canada) who records for Erased Tapes. He’s a relatively new name to me, and certainly, after this sample, he’s worth exploring.
[Video] Aldo Ciccolini – Gymnopedie n.1 (Satie)
The world lost one of the greatest piano interpreters of the 20th Century yesterday. Aldo Ciccolini died on February 1 at the ripe old age of 89. He had moved away from Naples to Paris, winning the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition in 1949, and becoming a French citizen by 1969. He was the foremost interpreter of the works of Erik Satie, and did his fair part to expose Satie to a wider audience.
Addio, Maestro.
[Video] Salvatore Bonafede – Ástor Piazzolla
Salvatore Bonafede is an Italian pianist who records for Red Records. He dedicates this particular piece to the great Nueva Tango bandoneonist, Ástor Piazzolla.
[Video] Aleksandar Pejovski – Black Raindrops Upon The Flower Blossoms [live]
The final post of the year, and it’s a sublime cut. Aleksandar Pejovski is a pianist from Skopje, Macedonia who records for local label PMG Recordings. I thank my friend Biljana Vasileva for this treasure. A good way to wind down the year.
Have a Happy 2015!
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 