Bach: The Brandenburgs

by Jacques Loussier

Overview

Depending on who you talk to, the third stream movement of the '50s was either an absolute blessing or an absolute curse. There are racial separatists who claim that third stream was an assault on African-American culture because it tried to "whiten" jazz, and there are equally silly individuals who insist that Beethoven and Mozart were jazz musicians but that Chick Corea, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny are not. Discussions of third stream tend to inspire moronic comments from both pro-third stream and anti-third stream people, but the bottom line is that third stream has had both its ups and downs creatively (more ups than downs). Not everything that French pianist Jacques Loussier (one of Europe's leading third stream proponents) has recorded is great -- some of his jazz/Euro-classical experiments have worked well, some not so well -- but his risk-taking spirit clearly serves him well on Bach: The Brandenburgs. This 2006 recording finds Loussier's trio (which also includes bassist Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac and drummer Andre Arpino) interpreting the six Brandenburg concertos that Johann Sebastian Bach (b. 1685, d. 1750) composed between 1708 and 1720, and interpret is definitely the operative word. Unlike a musician who plays Euro-classical music exclusively, Loussier does not play Bach's material note for note; he improvises, offering personal and introspective performances. Loussier is quite tasteful, and he makes Bach's compositions sound perfectly natural in a jazz setting. Bach: The Brandenburgs is not recommended to classical purists; this is an album for jazz piano enthusiasts who also happen to appreciate Bach's legacy, and those who fit that description will find Bach: The Brandenburgs to be one of Loussier's more lucid and artistically successful offerings. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	10/24/2006
Label:	Telarc Distribution
UPC:	0089408364426
Rank:	207050

Tracks

1. Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046~I. (Allegro)
2. Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046~II. Adagio
3. Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046~III. Allegro
4. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047~I. (Allegro)
5. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047~II. Andante
6. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047~III. Allegro assai
7. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048~I. (Allegro)
8. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048~II. Adagio
9. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048~III. Allegro
10. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049~I. Allegro
11. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049~II. Andante
12. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049~III. Presto
13. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050~I. Allegro
14. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050~II. Andante
15. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050~III. Presto
16. Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV 1051~I. (Allegro)
17. Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV 1051~II. Allegro
18. Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV 1051~III. Adagio ma non tanto

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jacques Loussier   Primary Artist,Piano
Jacques Loussier Trio   Ensemble

Technical Credits

Philippe Laffont   Audio Engineer
Elizabeth Note   Audio Production,Producer
Jacques Loussier   Audio Production,Producer,Editing
Alexandre Hasson   Technical Assistance
Robert Woods   Executive Producer
Anilda Carrasquillo   Art Direction
Gila Fox   Liner Note Translation
Patricia Dussaux   Liner Note Translation
Jim Burt   Design,Illustrations
Jean-Philippe Laffont   Engineer
Alyn Shipton   Liner Notes
Erica Brenner   Production Supervisor
Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer