Plays George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"

Plays George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"

ASIN: B0006GAO9U

Track Listings

1. Summertime

2. Bess, You Is My Woman Now

3. My Man's Gone Now

4. I Loves You, Porgy

5. It Ain't Necessarily So

6. Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?

7. There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York

Tracks:

Sweet And Lowdown
Novelette In Fourths
That Certain Feeling
So Am I
Rhapsody In Blue
Swanee
When You Want 'Em, You Can't Get 'Em...
Kickin' The Clouds Away
Idol Dreams
On My Mind The Whole Night Long
Scandal Walk
An American In Paris

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully American.......2007-05-14

I've had a copy of this CD for years and love it. The power and optimism of the music is really quite remarkable... regardless of who or what is actually playing here. The arrangement of Swanee is light but rich with major chord trains like you just want to go marching around the room. And American In Paris leads you on a swaying, dischordy journey the deeper you go, as the narrative begins to trade delicacy for passion. (and I love renditions where you can hear the MUSIC and the instruments don't get in the way, like four-voice midi versions of Bach which reveal the eloquence).

When I listen to this CD now, and which is most surpring to me, I hear a profound pride in America - back "before." I play it when I have people over and we put burgers on the grill. This CD is the song of sitting in my back yard with the clouds blowing by and for the moment things feel OK.

"Before" - OK, there is no old perfect Amercia; but I'm thinking of the time before we learned to distill petroleum into toxic pollution, before pride meant vanity and thuggery, before hate-filled invective became public amusement, and before presidents went to war because it was good for business.

A Gersh-winner.......2007-01-07

George Gershwin had a long association with the mechanical device known as the player piano. At the age of ten, Gershwin used a neighbor's pianola to teach himself how to play, by very slowly pumping the foot pedal that advanced the hole-punched rolls, and placing his fingers on the depressed keys. His parents were so impressed by his abilities they enrolled the boy in formal piano studies when he turned 13. Thus, an American genius was born.

The existing films of Gershwin (who died of a brain tumor at age 38 in 1937) show him to be a virtuoso at his instrument. His 1924 acoustic recording of Rhapsody In Blue (with the Paul Whiteman orchestra) is further evidence of this. But no film or recording has what is contained within the album GERSHWIN PLAYS GERSHWIN: THE PIANO ROLLS, and that is-- full fidelity range.

The CD comes in a standard jewel case packaged in a heavy paper slipcover. Biographical liner notes are included along with details on the rolls. The earliest performance in this set is from 1916, made when Gershwin was an 18-year-old song plugger. My favorites here are "Swanee," from 1920, and "An American In Paris," from 1933, which is undoubtedly one of the last significant piano rolls ever made.

Gershwin's dynamic performances are not in the least obscured by the few extra notes added to the piano rolls (such practice was standard in those days). Listening to these recordings is like sitting next to this brilliant man, observing his fingers fly over the keys as he plays some of his best work.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 60:36

Interesting... but I think I'd prefer a good Gershwin interpreter.......2006-05-14

Composers are not necessarily the best performers of their own work. A songwriter's songwriter like Jules Shear or Jimmy Webb comes to mind -- surely the best representations of their songs are on other artist's albums.

This album is charming in its own way -- a taste of the music and performance style of a bygone era. Someone complained that these rolls were edited. So what? I'm going to review the final product, now how it was made. Do you eat sausage? Ask not what's in it!

I like to listen to this CD in short bits -- a few songs at a time. For some reason I find it to be fatiguing if I listen for more than 20 minutes or so. I'm not absolutely sure why this is so. Possibly the meter is just a little too metronomic on many of the songs. This lends a "mechanical" quality to the performances.

Additionally, I felt that the dynamic range was restricted. The music does get louder and softer, because of the piano rolls themselves and because of the computer programming used to read the piano rolls -- the dynamics were deliberately adjusted by the record producers in some spots, if I read the liner notes correctly. And yet. And yet. Still these songs do not dynamically "breathe" fully in and out the way they ought to. I find this disappointing, but I think it has something to do with inherent limitations in piano roll recording technique. I'm guessing.

Taken for what it is, it is an interesting concept, and the sound quality is very pleasant. The performances are very good for piano rolls, but fall short of what a good interpreter could do. Take, for example, the Rhapsody in Blue from Woody Allen's Manhattan soundtrack. Listen specifically to the piano part -- the dynamics and variations in rhythm. This is not by any means the best performance of Rhapsody, but it is better than the Gershwin rolls.

Gershwin's playing overated.......2006-04-09

After I heard this cd I bought Gershwin plays Gershwin on the naxos label which arn't piano rolls. Any pianist can tell that many of these rolls are heavily edited and can't be played by a pianists with two hands. On the naxos album that has some of these same songs Gershwin's actual playing doesn't sound very good. Many of Gershwins contempories such as James P. Johnson, Eubie Blake, Luckey Roberts and even Zez Confrey were much better pianists than he was, however they didn't have his melodic gifts as a composer. I would recommend Artis Whodhouse's
transcriptions of Jelly Roll Morton's piano rolls (on the same label) instead because most of those are exactly how he played them and in my opinion Morton was a better musician in every way than Gershwin.

The jazzy Gershwin. What a CD!!!!!!!.......2006-02-23

I got this CD as a gift. I am all for the austrogerman post- romantic music and as imagined Gershwin is not my favourite composer. I know him from his best known works such as the 'Rhapsody", the 'American' and his great songs. This CD is a treasure as mentioned from other reviewers of this site. Gershwin full of passion, his music being jazzy to the very end and that great feeling you get after a great live performance is present all over the length of this 'treasure'. No question about the presence of the music. Not to be missed

Oscar Peterson Plays The George Gershwin Songbook

Average customer rating:

Oscar 's Trio at Its Best - Ten Stars - A Jazz Album of Beauty & Grace
My first Peterson album
Fascinating And Lively Rhythms
An essential album for every collection.
A really (too ? ) accessible Jazz CD

Oscar Peterson Plays The George Gershwin Songbook
Oscar Peterson
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000004716
Release Date: 1996-02-27

Tracks:

It Ain't Necessarily So
The Man I Love
Love Walked In
I Was Doing All Right
A Foggy Day
Oh, Lady, Be Good!
Love Is Here To Stay
They All Laughed
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
Summertime
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Shall We Dance?
The Man I Love
Fascinating Rhythm
It Ain't Necessarily So
Somebody Loves Me
Strike Up The Band
I've Got A Crush On You
I Was Doing All Right
'S Wonderful
Oh, Lady, Be Good!
I Got Rhythm
A Foggy Day
Love Walked In

Amazon.com

Oscar Peterson made two trips through the Gershwin repertoire, one in 1952 and another in 1959 after the advent of stereo. As with Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Songbook, this disc compiles both sessions, the earlier one with a trio of guitarist Barney Kessel and bassist Ray Brown, the later one with Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen. The later session is programmed first. The earlier group drew its conception from the Nat "King" Cole trio, a lightly swinging blend that benefits from a third highly adept soloist in Kessel. The later group is more conventional, but it sometimes draws meatier, more forceful playing from an older Peterson. The contrast is apparent in the two versions of "It Ain't Necessarily So." On both sessions, the emphasis is on the tunes, and Peterson sparkles on uptempos and ballads alike. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Oscar 's Trio at Its Best - Ten Stars - A Jazz Album of Beauty & Grace.......2006-04-10

The 1st 12 songs were the ones actually released on the original album. A Foggy Day when Oscar hits the bridge (Middle Part) where he plays the melody so graciously almost angelic to a point with Ray Brown walking his distinct bass lines the song mezmorizes you. You'll keep playing it over and over. Many of the 1st 12 songs are like that. I believe the trio's interpretation of melody was at its zenith when it recorded this album. Can Jazz be a thing of beauty and grace? This album says so.

My first Peterson album.......2005-10-10

This is great listening. From a non-Peterson fan, I think I'm hooked!

Fascinating And Lively Rhythms.......2004-11-09

Anyone who loves jazz will not miss Oscar Peterson in his/her jazz vocabulary. An extraordinary pianist known for his improvisation and distinctive style, Mr. Peterson is one of the greatest jazz icons who has recorded and performed myriads of the best melodies of all-time, most notably the compositions of musical genius, George Gershwin.

This CD consists of twenty-four tracks. The last half were recorded in 1952 with back-up musicians Ray Brown and Barney Kessel, and the first twelve were recorded in 1959 with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen. There are two versions of "Love Walked In" (tracks #3 & 24), "It Ain't Necessarily So" (tracks 1 & 15), "I Was Doing All Right" (tracks 4 & 19), "A Foggy Day" (tracks 5 & 23), "Lady Be Good" (tracks 6 & 21) and "The Man I Love" (tracks 2 & 13).

My favorites? These are all lively performances, but I chose "A Foggy Day," "Love Walked In," "I've Got A Crush On You," "Love Is Here To Stay," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "The Man I Love" and " 'S Wonderful."

This is one great CD to own. I listen to it when I'm in a bubbly mood. I'm pretty sure that you will enjoy listening to it as much as I do. It's more than an hour of listening pleasure not only for Gershwin and Peterson aficionados, but also for anyone who appreciates lively and vibrant piano music.

An essential album for every collection........2002-10-18

Oscar Peterson + George Gershwin. What a combination! Peterson and his veteran trio sound brilliant on this gorgeous disc. My wife, a recent jazz fan, loves this disc. It has a bouyant, ebulient, feel to it while simultaneously being an essential after hours recording. I have to give props to bassist Ray Brown who just kicks a$$ here. Peterson often sounds restrained here, which is a bit different, yet he is no less inspired or fiery. As for the songs, well, its Gershwin. What more do you need to know?

Essential.

A really (too ? ) accessible Jazz CD.......2001-08-09

These are great interpretations of Gershwin's standard. They were originally destined to a wider audience and may lack some subtleties of Peterson true style. Jazz newcomers should really try it.

Average customer rating:

LEVANT AND GERSHWIN A GREAT COMBINATION
Levant Plays Gershwin
Look for the original vinyl
Old classics played by an old classic!
The most heavenly earthly music

Levant Plays Gershwin

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Essential George Gershwin

ASIN: B0000026H0
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Rhapsody in Blue
Second Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra
Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra: I-Allegro
Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra: II-Andante Con Moto
Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra: III-Allegro Con Brio
'I Got Rhythm' Variations
Prelude I: Allegro Ben Ritmato E Deciso
Prelude II: Andante Con Moto E Poco Rubato
Prelude III: Allegro Ben Ritmato E Deciso

Customer Reviews:

LEVANT AND GERSHWIN A GREAT COMBINATION.......2007-05-13

KNOWING THAT LEVANT AND GERSHWIN WERE CLOSE FRIENDS, COMBINED WITH THE SPECIAL ARTISTRY OF LEVANT, PROVIDES MORE THAN ENOUGH REASON TO PURCHASE THIS CD. LEVANT'S INTERPRETATION OF GERSHIWIN'S MUSIC IS INDEED SPECIAL.

Levant Plays Gershwin.......2007-02-03

I have been in love with Levant's version of Rhasody In Blue for 50 years. Nobody does it better and this CD is excellent. I crank up the Bose and watch the pictures on the wall shake. Nobody does Gershwin better, not even Gershwin.

Look for the original vinyl .......2006-10-27

Columbia Masterworks engineers of the era captured Levant's faithful and arguably definitive Gershwin interpretations in a dry studio setting that enhanced the music's warmth and vitality. Unfortunately, the excessive digital reverberation added to this release compromises the dynamics and acoustic integrity of the original recordings and invariably, the music itself. I may be a lone voice in the wilderness, but I grieve for what this CD could have been.

Old classics played by an old classic!.......2006-08-07

Brings back memories from my childhood when I was a piano student studying Gershwin's serious works. Oscar Levant was Gershwin's best friend, so I figure his interpretation of Gershwin's compositions comes closer to George's own than anyone else's possibly could.

The most heavenly earthly music .......2006-05-24

Two excellent Amazon reviews , one by A. Burns, and another by Mr. Pardo tell more about this recording than I know. What I have to say is that the music of Gershwin , especially 'Rhapsody in Blue' has taken my mind and heart to a certain place that no other music does. There is a kind of inspiring sophistication, a kind of Manhattan glamour in the music which always moves this small- town soul. Levant is by all accounts one of the major interpreters of Gershwin and as Mr. Burns says by the end of the forties he was the 'representative of Gershwin on earth'.
This is the most heavenly earthly music imaginable.

The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2

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BRILLIANT
Pure Gold
Pure Heaven
Gershwin "Live"

The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2
George Gershwin
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005J3K
Release Date: 1995-09-19

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Havanola (Have Another)
Con Conrad: Singin' The Blues ('Till My Daddy Comes Home))
From Now On
Harry Akst: Jaz-O-Mine
Louis Silvers: Just Snap Your Fingers At Care
Jerome Kern: Whip-Poor-Will
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For Your Country And My Country
Kangaroo Hop
Pastime Rag No. 3
Chinese Blues
Whispering
Arrah Go On I'm Gonna Go Back To Oregon

Customer Reviews:

BRILLIANT.......2006-08-08

This CD is just BRILLIANT. It is every bit as good as the first Gershwin piano rolls CD. Gershwin plays Gershwin (and others) and his genius comes through. A total delight!

Pure Gold.......2004-01-25

When I first heard Rhapsody in Blue on this CD it didn't sound quite right. It was more free, more spontaneous, more joyous.
But that is because it went from the composer's mind directly to his fingers, bypassing the compromise of sheetmusic. It goes right to the heart of the listener.

If I was stranded on a desert island and allowed to bring only 10 CDs, this one just might have to be one of the ones I would have to take.

Pure Heaven.......2003-11-11

How would you feel if George Gershwin himself suddenly appeared out of nowhere, sat down at the piano in the corner of your own living room, and played away to his heart's content?

Amazement and delight would perhaps be fair, but not quite good enough words to describe it - pure heaven may just hit nearer the mark!

Such is the feeling that pervades this wonderful collection, which, no less magnificently done than the 1st Volume - an all-Gershwin program - also includes some of the sources of his inspiration.

This is a rare authentic glimpse into the mind of a giant, and listening to him in person affords a feeling of connecting directly to his universe, a feeling as magical as it is palpable.

The style of his playing is positive, decisive, clean, straightforward, no-nonsense, resolutely devoid of either sentimentality or cynicism. However somewhere between the lines engraved is his own heartbeat, full of hope, gentle irony, and complete and utter belief in everything good - be it friendship, love, or life itself.

A must for Gershwin lovers, a much-needed reminder of faith, in these turbulent times, for everyone else.

Gershwin "Live".......2000-08-04

Listening to these modern recordings taken from old piano rolls cut by George Geershwin between 1916 and 1921, one might be compelled to conclude that there's something to be said for older technology. We are able to listen to Gershwin performances that sound as though they occurred today. Obviously, an actual recording made at the time these rolls were cut would have had very primative sound quality, and nowhere near the immediacy which is present here.

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue
An American In Paris
Swanee
Walkin' The Dog
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
Somebody Loves Me
Our Love Is Here To Stay
S'Wonderful
Embraceable You
Oh, Lady Be Good

Customer Reviews:

Let the Buyer Beware.......2007-01-12

I do not disagree on any level with the other reviewers of this CD. However, the content is recorded from piano rolls rather than directly from the artist. This fact is not explicitly presented on the web page. Yes, if one clicks on the CD cover photo to get an enlarged image, one can read "First recording 1924 from rare piano rolls" at the bottom in small type. Not everyone will do this however. For this reason alone I only rate this product 3 stars.

Historical and Pristine.......2006-12-22

This compilation of Gershwin selections taken from the piano rolls of the composer offer a perfect introduction to the music of Gershwin, offering a balance between his serious symphonic pieces and his accessible popular songs. Beginning with two of his concert works, "The Rhapsody in Blue" and "An American in Paris," the CD just hints at what the composer accomplished in the concert hall and the world of serious music. To my understanding, the "Rhapsody in Blue" was originally performed at a concert titled 'An Experiment in Modern Music' in 1924 at Aeolian Hall in New York. The piece was performed by an orchestra with Paul Whiteman as director, and with the composer at the piano as part of a concert experiment in jazz. The version on this CD is a piano adaptation created by the composer based off of the original symphonic work.

"An American in Paris" is also a concert work that did not achieve the widespread adoration that the Rhapsody has garnered. It was intended by the composer to capture the emotions of a tourist visiting Paris, and was purportedly auto-biographical. It was performed in 1928 at New York's Carnegie Hall with Walter Damrosch conducting the New York Philharmonic. It received mixed reviews at the time but remains a favorite of Gershwin's classical works. Like the "Rhapsody," the version included here is a piano adaptation of the original orchestral work.

The remaining works on the CD are those of a popular composer, the flipside of Gershwin's career. No other American composer (or any for that matter) has strattled these two different fields of music with the success with which George Gershwin did. And the popular songs, among them, "Embraceable You," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and "Love is Here to Stay" have achieved enormous pop culture penetration and secure Gershwin's place in history as a master of popular song composition. Notably missing from this CD, however, are Ira Gershwin's contributions, i.e. the words, which add an element important to these songs' true place in history. Along with Ira's contributions come the countless Gershwin vocal interpreters who helped to realize these songs' true significance and their dispersion throughout the American popular music idiom.

On these versions, it is simply Gershwin playing his works (albeit the recordings are taken from his piano rolls, not an actual live recording). In these arrangements, the melodies are incorporated into lush and often convoluted harmonic accompaniment, in which the melody often becomes lost (i.e., the bridge or B section of "Oh, Lady Be Good!"). However, the opportunity to hear the composer express the harmonic possibilities of these disguisingly "simple" American tunes is truly a valuable one. The particular bouncing style with which Gershwin jumps from chord to chord to accompany his melodies is clearly apparent on many of these tunes, and that is an aspect borrowed from Ragtime that contributes to Gershwin being labeled as a uniquely "American" styled composer. The idiosyncracy of his composition and playing are tied together and come to life on this CD. The harmonic statements are sophisticated and evasive to the common ear, and the rhythmic precision and prolificity are legendary. Together with the melody, these elements of the musical composition on which Gershwin demonstrates mastery come together to produce a truly quintessential and essential Gershwin compilation.

"Rhapsody In Blue".......2006-07-12

"This piece (Rhapsody In Blue) seemed to sweep through my mind. It was the heart of America, the feverishness of life, the musical welter of races, of peoples, their joys and their passions, their dissipations and their exaltations." ~ George Gershwin (September 26, 1898 - July 11, 1937) ~

Today, July 11, 2006, marks the 69th death anniversary of one of America's most versatile songwriters, George Gershwin. The birth of one of my favorite jazz-infused-classical pieces, "Rhapsody In Blue" in 1924 made Mr. Gershwin an overnight and sensational star and had gained him a worldwide recognition. He had been my late parents' (and mine, too) favorite composer along with Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and Cole Porter. His harmonious collaboration with his brother, Ira Gershwin, had produced the most beautiful songs of all-time. They were the most prolific team of songwriters and their compositions have been recorded countless times by famous interpreters of Great American Songbook such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Tony Bennett, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Michael Feinstein, Natalie Cole, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, Steve Tyrell, Diana Krall, John Pizzarelli, Michael Bublé and Chris Botti, among many others.

This CD is a musical treasure and one that I would strongly recommend not only to any Gershwin enthusiast but also to any new fan for this includes the original recording of "Rhapsody In Blue" from rare Piano Rolls. The sound quality is just terrific. It highlights two of his major works - "Rhapsody In Blue" (1924) and "An American In Paris" (1928). It also features some of his well-known popular songs and favorites of mine, my parents' theme songs "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "Embraceable You." It has been said that Mr. Gershwin functioned best and had written his very best compositions at 3 o'clock in the morning and when he finish eight bars that he likes, he can finish a chorus in a few minutes, like the songs "`S Wonderful" and "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off." This recording also includes "Swanee," "Walkin' The Dog," "Somebody Loves Me," and "Oh, Lady Be Good."

It's so amazing that he composed frequently and never run out of inspirations for writing melodic tunes that are so pleasing to the ears. He can write three to five songs in a single afternoon. When he completed the melody of a song, he gives it to Ira to write words to it. He was such a genius and played the piano by ear after a fashion, tapping out the tunes with a finger.

Not known to many, Mr. Gershwin had tried his hand at painting. I've seen a portrait of himself that he painted a year before his death from brain cancer, and I would say, it's a beautiful work of art, almost like a work of a professional painter. He could have been a great painter.

George Gershwin will always be remembered as one of the greatest 20th Century composers and his music will always linger in the hearts of music lovers like me who truly appreciate and enjoy fine music.

Average customer rating:

Gershwin chamber jazz, with all that implies...
Get his other CDs instead
Great Musicians at Their Most Uninspired
Just magnificent!
Really Gershwin ?

Bill Charlap Plays George Gershwin
Bill Charlap
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0009NCPEW
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

Who Cares?
Somebody Loves Me
Liza
How Long Has This Been Going On?
A Foggy Day
'S Wonderful
I Was So Young And You Were So Beautiful
Bess, You Is My Woman Now
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Soon

Album Description

The septet that appears on The American Soul is built upon the trio, with three tracks featuring the threesome, including the opener "Who Cares," "Liza," and the rarity "I Was So Young (You Were So Beautiful)." (Charlap also renders the closer, "Soon," as an unaccompanied piano solo, in effect putting his signature on the end of the recording.) The remaining six tracks feature various members of the four-horn frontline recruited for this album, an astounding collection of musicians spanning several generations, including Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Slide Hampton on trombone, Phil Woods on alto saxophone, and Frank Wess on tenor saxophone.

Bill Charlap: piano
Peter Washington: bass
Kenny Washington: drums

Customer Reviews:

Gershwin chamber jazz, with all that implies..........2005-10-06

One way of interpreting Gershwin is as jaunty and spiffy, and this recording is just that. The tunes bounce around merrily for the most part and make no pretense at great profundity.

There remains the question, however, as to just how inventive the horn soloists are.

Well, there is no truth to the charge that Slide Hampton's solos are not inventive. Here's a quiz: what is the tune that Mr. Hampton quotes in his solo on 'Somebody Loves Me'? Inventive or no? Ah, but first you have to recognize a quote when you hear it... Some subtleties go just above people's heads...

Get his other CDs instead.......2005-09-09

This is okay but it is not the sterling brilliant work Charlap does on his three previous efforts at all. Get any of those instead of this one. Get Stardust. Get Somewhere. Get Written in the Stars. Any and all of those three instead of this one. Another warning...this Gershwin one has the annoying Copy Control demon on it so when you load it onto your mp3 it skips and jumps. most annoying. whatever happen to fair use by people who buy the music????

Great Musicians at Their Most Uninspired.......2005-09-03

I sort of happened upon Bill Charlap when I heard "Somewhere" because there is a decided lack of exciting piano trios around, unless you still like the Keith Jarrett factory. Charlap is one of those guys who has incredible almost orchestral subtlety, and gets that sparkling sound out of his piano lines, but still makes it sound like he's not even trying very hard. But the addition of the horns on this CD ruins it for me - Charlap loses control, and the rest of the musicians turn this into a jam session with tunes that are, let's face it, not that exciting by themselves anymore. I like Payton's energy, but it doesn't seem to mesh with the group. Even when the horns are cut out, "Liza" seems hurried. "I Was So Young" is nice, but even that doesn't have the harmonic or compositional freshness of Charlap's full trio CDs. Compare Charlap plays Gershwin with the Fred Hersch Trio +2, a great example of a trio pianist really taking the time to flesh out and expand his ideas with wind instruments. I hope Charlap takes his time with his next CD, because he's capable of something original and fresh and that's so rare today.

Just magnificent!.......2005-08-25

Bill Charlap owns the piano and this album is among his very best. Can't recommend it enough.

Really Gershwin ?.......2005-08-20

Mr Charlap is to go without saying excellent. I got the recommendation from the New York Times---but---It shows the importance of listening to a disc before you purchase it. My preference is smooth jazz. The person who reviewed this disc has different taste in music than I do and the fault is mine. I'll donate the disc to the local library.

Average customer rating:

The Best Recordings of George Gershwin's Piano Improvisations

Gershwin Plays Gershwin

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Gershwin's Improvisations for Solo Piano
Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls
The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue/An American In Paris

ASIN: B000053HK5
Release Date: 2001-01-16

Tracks:

Swanee
Sweet And Low Down
That Certain Feeling
Looking For A Boy
When Do We Dance?
Do-Do-Do
Someone To Watch Over Me
Clap Yo' Hands
Maybe
My One And Only
'S Wonderful - Funny Face
Rhap In Blue
Prld No.1
Prld No.2
Prld No.3
Rhap In Blue: Andante
Second Rhap

Customer Reviews:

The Best Recordings of George Gershwin's Piano Improvisations.......2006-08-09

This low priced CD is the greatest presentation of George Gershwin's incredible improvisational skill, reworking his popular hits of the day into complex arrangements that can hold the interest of the 'most discriminating music lover.' These disc recordings are much more lifelike than the well known piano-roll CDs. On this Cd Gershwin's filled-in tenth cords in his left hand along with his consecutive four-note chord spreads to the octave with his right, cross rhythms, and virtuoso embellishments give the piano arrangements a full sound. The recording of 'Swanee' is a small 1919 group recording of the Van Eps Quartet with a young George Gershwin at the piano and Nathan Glantz on the saxaphone. The Van Eps Quartet plays in a yiddish sounding style which accents Swanee's rooting in yiddish music. The next recordings are of George Gershwin at the piano recorded in 1926 and 1928. This CD also includes the 1924 Paul Whiteman orchestra recording of 'Rhapsody in Blue' with the composer at the piano. The arrangement was shortened to about 9 minutes in order to fit onto the two sides of a 78rmp record, but I think this is the best recording of 'Rhapsody in Blue' ever recorded, because this was recorded when 'Rhapsody in Blue' was New, Exciting, and Full of Life. This recording lets the humor that was originally intended by Gershwin shine through. His own recording of his three preludes is the best rendition of the popular preludes. Gershwin stands as the best performer of his own works, and this CD is the best example of his own playing. The improvisations of his show tunes on this CD are much more fleshed out than his brief radio recordings available elsewhere, although I recommend trying to find all of his recordings. Gershwin's solo piano arrangement of the Andante section of Rhapsody in Blue is another opportunity to hear George play his own material. The last recording on the disc is a 1931 rehersal of 'Second Rhapsody' which George Gershwin had recorded onto disc by NBC for him to listen to. Once again, George Gershwin is the best interpreter of his own works, and this CD is the best document of Gershwin playing Gershwin.

Plays George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"

Average customer rating:

Desert Island Disc

Plays George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"
The Modern Jazz Quartet
Manufacturer: Collectables
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Live at the Lighthouse
Blues on Bach
The Modern Jazz Quartet & Jimmy Giuffre: Complete Recordings
Third Stream Music
European Tour '56

ASIN: B0006GAO9U
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Tracks:

Summertime
Bess, You Is My Woman Now
My Man's Gone Now
I Loves You, Porgy
It Ain't Necessarily So
Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?
There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York

Customer Reviews:

Desert Island Disc.......2007-01-31

One of the most profoundly beautiful albums ever made, in the same league as Miles' Kind of Blue. Luminous, exquisite.

Average customer rating:

Astounding pianism -- just don't listen to it in one sitting
A historic and sparkling programme!

Earl Wild plays Gershwin

Manufacturer: Ivory Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Earl Wild's Legendary Rachmaninoff Song Transcriptions
Earl Wild - The Romantic Master
Earl Wild Plays the Russian Romantic Masters
Earl Wild: Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions
Earl Wild - Living History 'At 90'

ASIN: B00000DFPR
Release Date: 1997-12-10

Tracks:

Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
The Man I Love
I Got Rhythm
Embraceable You
Fascinatin' Rhythm
Somebody Loves Me
Liza
Lady Be Good
Earl Wild - 'Grande Fantasy on Porgy and Bess'
Prelude No.1
Prelude No.2
Prelude No.3

Album Description

This historic Gershwin recording includes the first complete "Rhapsody in Blue" recorded in 1945 with Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra. Also on the disc are Mr. Wild's legendary 1976 performances of his popular piano transcriptions, "Grande Fantasy on Porgy and Bess" and "Seven Virtuoso Etudes". Completing this historic recording are the "Three Preludes" recorded in 1964.

Customer Reviews:

Astounding pianism -- just don't listen to it in one sitting.......2007-06-03

This CD seems to overlap with another CD on the Chesky label. Both contain Earl Wild's Fantasy on Porgy and Bess and the seven Etudes based on Gershwin's music. This disc also has Rhapsody in Blue and Gershwin's Preludes.

Wild's pianistic facility is absolutely astonishing. He does some wonderful things with Gershwin's music. Highlights include "Embraceable You" and some of the sections of the Porgy and Bess Fantasy ("Summertime", "Bess, you is my woman now" and "It aint necessarily so" come to mind). He also plays the three Preludes with conviction and panache. However, Gershwin is not Chopin, and there is only so much one can mine from this music. If one tries to listen to this entire CD in one sitting, one can become aware of the piano as a percussion instrument. I am not certain if this is a function of the music (Gershwin), the pianist (Wild) or the recording (AAD). So often when I listen to a great pianist play solo work by Chopin, Liszt or Ravel, for example, I can lose myself in the music and virtually forget the medium. That doesn't happen with this recording for me.

Still, in small doses, this is an extraordinary disc, and I'm glad to own it.

A historic and sparkling programme!.......2005-01-29

Remastered in 1997, this amazing recording displays Earl Wild at his very best.

The Programme includes: Rhapsody in Blue (recorded 1945), Earl Wild 's fantastically stunning 'Seven Virtuoso Etudes' (1976), Wild's 'Grande Fantasy on Porgy and Bess' (1976) and Gershwin's Three Prerludes for Piano (1964).

I'm learnng a few of the Virtuoso Etudes at the moment (which, by the way are his famous transcriptions of: The Man I Love, I Got Rhythm, Embracable You, Fascinating Rhythm, Somebody Loves Me, Liza & Lady Be Good) and finding them the biggest challenge I've ever had. I'm also having lot's of FUN as well!

But I was astonished when I heard Earl Wild play them Double the speed I though physically possible...!

Earl Wild is known as the last of the great Virtuostic pianis-composers. At a grand age of 90 now, he is still stunning.

The greatest recording of Earl Wild playing George Gershwin you'll ever hope to have. A fantastic listen. I spend hours listening.

Fantastic for the pianist, the aspiring pianist, the Gershwin-lover and/or the enthusiastic listener - It doesn't matter.

A historic and virtuostic delight!

Hélène Grimaud plays Beethoven, Brahms, Gershwin and others

Average customer rating:

Fine Retrospective From Warner Classics Of Helene Grimaud's Best Recordings For This Label

Hélène Grimaud plays Beethoven, Brahms, Gershwin and others

Manufacturer: Warner Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Wild Harmonies: A Life of Music and Wolves
Reflection
Credo
Hélène Grimaud ~ Brahms - Piano Pieces Op. 116-119
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4; Piano Sonatas Opp. 109 & 110

ASIN: B000FPYNVM
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Tracks:

I. Allegro Affettuoso
II. Intermezzo: Andantino Grazioso
III. Allegro Vivace
Allegro Vivace
Tranquillo
A Tempo. Sostenuto
Un Poco Animato. Quasi Cadenza

Tracks:

I. Capriccio - Presto Energico
II. Intermezzo - Andante
III. Capriccio - Allegro Passionato
IV. Intermezzo - Adagio
V. Intermezzo - Andante Con Grazia
VI. Intermezzo - Andantino Teneramente
VII. Capriccio - Allegro Agitato
I. Andante Moderato
II. Andante Non Troppo
III. Andante Con Moto
I. Intermezzo - Allegro Non Assai
II. Intermezzo - Andante Teneramente
III. Ballade - Allegro Energico
IV. Intermezzo - Alegretto Un Poco Agitato
V. Romanze - Andante
VI. Intermezzo - Andante, Largo E Mesto
I. Intermezzo - Adagio
II. Intermezzo - Andantino Un Poco Agitato
III. Intermezzo - Grazioso E Giocoso
IV. Rhapsodie - Allegro Risoluto

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Adagio - Andante Con Moto
III. Allegro Agitato
I. Allegramente
II. Adagio Assai
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Maestoso
II. Adagio
III. Rondo - Allegro Non Troppo
Applause - Applaudissements - Applaus

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Rondo: Vivace
I. Vivace Ma Non Troppo
II. Prestissimo
III. Gesangvoll, Mit Innigster Empfindung (Andante Molto Cantabile Ed Espressivo)
I. Moderato Cantabile, Molto Espressivo
II. Allegro Molto
III. Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Fuga - Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Tracks:

I. Moderato
II. Adagio Sostenuto
III. Allegro Scherzando
Allegro
No. 1: Allegro Non Troppo F Minor
No. 2: Allegro C Major
No. 9: Grave C Sharp Minor
Variations On A Theme Of Corelli, Op. 42

Customer Reviews:

Fine Retrospective From Warner Classics Of Helene Grimaud's Best Recordings For This Label.......2007-05-26

Warner Classics has turned once more to its vaults, hoping to reap some additional financial rewards from legendary young French pianist Helene Grimaud, who has now an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. While cynics may criticize this latest compilation from Warner Classics, serious fans of classical music may find much that is rewarding here. Grimaud's disciplined, yet emotionally intense performances have been compared favorably to the likes of Martha Argerich and Claudio Arrau. Many critics and fans have observed that she performs with the wisdom and maturity of an artist who is far more advanced in age than hers (This is an interesting observation in light of the recent success earned by another Deutsche Grammophon recording artist, Lang Lang, who has yet to attain the artistic maturity which Grimaud has demonstrated for years.). In these recordings made for Teldec in the mid to late 1990s, Grimaud was fortunate to work closely with such eminent conductors as David Zinman, Kurt Sanderling and Kurt Masur, and with excellent symphony orchestras in North America and Europe, including the Berliner Staatskapelle, New York Philharmonic and Baltimore Symphony orchestras. Among my favorites is her fiery performance of the Schumann Piano Concerto, which sounds remarkably fresh in her capable hands and in the excellent muscianship demonstrated from the Deutsches-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and conductor David Zinman. Yet another favorite is an exquisitely well-played performance of the Brahms 1st Piano Concerto, in which she is accompanied by Kurt Sanderling and the Berliner Staatskapelle. Not surprisingly, yet another highlight is her excellent, rather vibrant, performance of the Gershwin Piano Concerto with David Zinman conducting the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. If you've wondered why Helene Grimaud has received such ample praise from critics and fans alike, then hopefully you'll find this CD set as an important reason why she has earned such warm adulation from critics and classical music fans across the globe.

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Jazz Music

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