Posts Tagged Piano
Archive
June 3, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Nils Frahm: Encores 1 [EP]
Nils Frahm Encores 1 [ep] Erased Tapes Earlier this year Nils Frahm delivered his new album, perhaps his finest and one of the best by anyone this year. All Melody was the first delivered results from his newly created home-studio, though now we have the proof that those sessions served up an embarrassment of riches […]Archive
May 7, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Anna van der Leij
Anna van jer Leij works with “the fantastic folks at Chamber Music New Zealand”, and they’re touring The New Yorker music critic and author Alex Ross with New Zealand mezzo soprano Bianca Andrew and STROMA – an ensemble made up of a selection of NZSO players and pianist Emma Sayers. They mostly perform modern chamber […]Archive
May 3, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 114 – Roy Brown
Welcome to episode 114 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and Le Petite Chocolat. I had a chat with Roy Brown – he’s a Hawke’s Bay musician and runs the legendary venue, The Cabana. Roy’s own music career has seen him record albums as part of bands and as a solo act, he’s […]Archive
April 6, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor has died. The legendary pianist recently celebrated his 89th birthday. What a legend. What a legacy. He took what Art Tatum started and freed it. That’s a simple description – but it’s how I’ve always heard him. Taylor – along with Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane was one of the towering […]Archive
March 18, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Alan Brown: Composure
Alan Brown Composure (Independent/alanbrown.co.nz) Auckland-based composer and musician Alan Brown has been part of various scenes including some jazz/fusion/funk and now solo/ambient. In 2014 he recorded a three-hour session of solo piano – just him and a Steinway in the Concert Chamber of the Auckland Town Hall. He added some synths, some very subtle treatments, […]Archive
March 15, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 107 – Dennis O’Brien
Welcome to episode 107 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and Le Petite Chocolat. Here’s a chat with Dennis O’Brien – he is the owner of Slow Boat Records in Wellington. But he also had a solo career as a musician – if you click on that link on his name you’ll be […]Archive
March 7, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 427
Winifred Atwell, “Winnie” – Winifred Atwell in Concert (1976) Another recent/ish opshop-find for me, and someone asked me where/when I found out about Winifred Atwell. And I don’t really know. Probably some reissue CD comp from working in the store back in the day; I used to love trying out (almost) whatever came into the […]Archive
February 26, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Nathan Haines & Jonathan Crayford ADAGIO (February 25, Wgtn)
Nathan Haines & Jonathan Crayford: ADAGIO The Festival Club Sunday February 25 Commissioned for The New Zealand Festival this pairing had Crayford (piano, arrangements) and Nathan Haines (flute, saxophones) performing a set of classical pieces in the “Adagio” or slow movement – from the opening Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte by Ravel through Albinoni’s Adagio […]Archive
February 23, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Randy Newman: The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected) [OST]
Randy Newman The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected) (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Lakeshore Records I enjoyed the film (look, it’s good not great, it’s got problems, is a bit long, is missing some actual bite but has a tender, surprising performance from Adam Sandler and has some astutely drawn observations around prickly, selfish characters). I don’t know […]Archive
February 2, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: BADBADNOTGOOD (January 31, Wgtn)
BADBADNOTGOOD San Fran Wednesday, January 31 On loan from Laneway – Wellington was lucky to get BADBADNOTGOOD back for a show, some five years after they last docked down our way. In that time the prolific jazz/R’n’B combo has released a few new albums and compilations, singles, remixes, live records and plenty of interesting collaborations […]Archive
January 30, 2018 by Simon Sweetman