Customer Reviews

Take Bach

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yet another great Loussier Bach recording. These are jazz arrangements of Bach's concertos for 2 & 3 keyboards. Loussier only plays in the concerto for 3 keyboards.

Loussier's "Cool Jazz" style wears thin after a while, after listening to his Bach, Satie, etc., so I preferred the concertos for 2 pianos because the Pekinel sisters have a less chromatic style.

The last track "Jesu, bleibet mein freude" is nice, but not really jazz, but rather a simple piano arrangement of the cantata.

If there was ever any doubt that the music of J. S. Bach lends itself to jazz treatment, all one has to do is listen to the myriad recordings of Jacques Loussier and his trio. (And it's not as if groups like the Modern Jazz Quartet or the Swingle Singers and others hadn't caught the Bach bug.) This, time, though, Loussier and his pals (drummer André Arpino and bassist Benoît Dunoyer de Segonzac [don't you love that elegant name?]) are joined by the glamorous Turkish twin sisters, duo-pianists Güher and Süher Pekinel. Indeed, Loussier only plays on the Three Piano Concerto, but he made all the arrangements. The Pekinels do themselves proud -- and they don't pound like that other glamorous sister duo, the Sisters Labecque -- and they prove that Turks can swing a mean Rondo à la Turk. (Sorry I couldn't resist the reference to another Bach player, Dave Brubeck, although of course the Rondo is based on Mozart, not good ol' J.S.)

The CD finishes off with a lovely arrangement of the Bach's chorale 'Jesus bleibet meine Freude', better known to English speakers as 'Jesu, Joy of My Desiring'.

This one's a winner.

Scott Morrison

This is a beautiful recording of these pieces, but I was disappointed because I assumed Loussier would jazz these peices up a bit. It is true that within Bach's originals, there is plenty of jazz material, but Loussier usually brings it out more. Other reviewers say they were a bit jazzed up, but I didn't think so. Otherwise, no complaints. I gave mine to my sister and she LOVES it. Especially, the last cantata is exquisite. Good CD to play while you're working.

We have all known Jacques Lossier with his amazing arrangegements of classical music. In this album, he teams up with Pekinel sisters to create a masterpiece that is second to none.

Great CD good quality recording and very talented jazz rendition of great music. Bach himself would have been pleased.