Customer Reviews

Jacques Loussier Trio: Mozart Piano Concertos 20/23

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Some of Loussier's attemps in the near past have blatantly back-fired. Ironically, such is the case with his own compatriot composers. This attempt is a nice take on two beloved piano concertos by Mozart, which includes some swinging counterpoint with a string orchestra.
Even though time has shown that only Bach's music can successfuly withstand this kind of treatment, at least this CD is not as boring as previous installments.
During the 70's Loussier released an astute and bouncy take on Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 5 (with orchestra also) on DECCA Phase 4. Would Polygram re-release it one day, please? It would be a great addition to those who discovered Loussier later on.

This jazz trio is best at interpreting impressionist classics, i.e., "Jacques Loussier Trio Plays Satie", which I highly recommend. While some of the most beautiful and creative music issues from "musical hybrid", and this trio is the best of this genre, "Mozart Piano Concertos 20/23" falls short in some places. For example, the Jacques Loussier Trio's treatment of the Romance movement of Concerto No. 20 in D Minor truly annoys due to the trap set, loud brushes et al. This passage is perhaps the most "impressionistic" part of Mozart's concerto and yet the other musicians do their best to disrupt Loussier's majestic piano work that undulates like the surf unfolding on a beach. Of course, like the pros they are, this music is redeemed in the end but I can't help feeling the trio was a little out of their element with Mozart.

It pains me to say anything bad about some of the most amazing musicians. I can't recommend the Bach, and especially the Satie album enough. However, this Mozart album is a mess, to me. It's a bad marriage/juxtaposition of jazz combo with string orchestra. They really never seem like they belong together. It is disconcerting. I think the project would have worked much better with the combo exclusively. With the strings remaining basically unchanged, it pulls the listener in too many directions. I can really groove with the combo, and have enjoyed so many of their productions, but the choice to keep core elements unchanged was dizzying to me. Because I know these pieces backwards and forwards; to hear the core with occasional jazz licks was an odd mess. I would really like to hear it re-done without the string orchestra. Then I think the concept might shine through.