Spectrum

Reviewed: 2019-10-01
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Amazing solo jazz piano! Remarkable in its scope and vivid in its illustration, this disc once again personifies the brilliantly gifted pianist's extraordinary skill set. Feeling and caressing every note empowers her to soar above the clouds and delicately shower her beauty upon us like heavenly drops of rain.
If You Like: Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly,
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
***1/ Kaleidoscope – slow start, swings up tempo with flurries of notes> builds to lightning fast, then slows to fast tempo, then swings back to lightning fast> quick stop
*2/ Whiteout – slow start on pretty melody builds to midtempo> slowly builds in volume & intensity> slow fade
**3/ Yellow Wurlitzer Blues – heavy bass chords start hesitating> uptempo barrelhouse interspersed with ragtime with shifting melodies> crescendo end
*4/ Spectrum – sizzling uptempo start swings to lightning fast> shifts to cascading notes, them back to lightning fast> slows to uptempo> quick stop
**5/ Blackbird – slow start on old Beatles tune, beautiful melody> builds to midtempo> slowly builds in volume, then mellows to fade
*6/ Mr. C.C. – slow start quickly swings to lightning fast with hints of ragtime> shifts to uptempo on different melody, then swings to fast tempo on a different melody, then swings back to lightning fast> quick stop
*7/ Once In A Blue Moon – midtempo hesitating start> cascading midtempo with shifting melodies> slows to slow tempo, then swings back up into rocking uptempo, then mellows to fade
***8/ Rhapsody in Various Shades Of Blue – heavy cascading notes to start> pause> midtempo with heavy notes shifts uptempo> swings to fast tempo & hesitating with shifting melodies> slows to midtempo> swings back to uptempo> crescendo end
*9/ Sepia Effect – mellow fast tempo start> shifting melodies> slow fade & a flourish