Customer Reviews

Live at Maybeck 19

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from all music.com: Unpredictable things with standards, .................
"Richie Beirach turns in one of the more thankfully idiosyncratic editions of the Maybeck Recital Hall Series (this is Vol. 19). This format allows Beirach to exploit his romantic credentials with only a nominal interest in the usual bop formulas, and he throws in a few startling unorthodox glissandos here and there to shake everyone up. Very often, he works compellingly with repetitions in the left hand; the prime examples of this include an "On Green Dolphin Street," and based mostly on the same stabbing syncopation on two notes in the left hand, a lovely now-and-then literal rendition of Bill Evans' take on "Some Other Time," and a sauntering semiboogie interpretation of "All Blues." There is also a unified stream-of-consciousness medley that opens with "Over the Rainbow" and winds up on "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," as well as a really unorthodox "'Round Midnight" with a few humorous surprises. A most absorbing recital, cleanly recorded." .............................
I warmly recommend this CD!

No greater gift has been given to lovers of solo piano jazz than Concord Records series of 42 albums recorded live at the Maybeck Recital Hall. But what has been given can be taken away, and sadly, Concord has discontinued the entire series. It is, as someone once said, a cryin' shame....

Richie Beirach is a classically trained pianist who has been playing with the very best jazzers for more than 40 years - guys like Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, John Abercrombie, Chet Baker and, particularly, Dave Liebman. Mr Beirach, who is sometimes compared to Bill Evans, can handle anything from the standards to free jazz improvisation with ease.

Mr Beirach's solo concert at Maybeck includes one original tune, nine standards, (among them lovely, lyrical versions of "All the Things You Are," "You Don't Know What Love Is," and Thelonius Monk's "'Round Midnight"), and a delightful medley of "Over the Rainbow/Small World/In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning." This is an hour of main stream jazz played with elegance and penache.

As with all of the Maybeck albums, the "sonics" are excellent. Maybeck's acoustics are exceptional and Concord's field recording crew was top notch. Sit back, close your eyes and Mr Beirach and his piano will be in your room. The magic of stereo!