New In Music This Week: February 23rd

It’s the last Friday of the month and time for my list of the best of what’s New In Music This Week: February 23^rd.

My top choice is:

CLASSICAL: COCTEAU TRILOGY – Katia Labèque, Marielle Labèque – Deutsche Grammophon

Filmmaker/poet/playwright Jean Cocteau directed six films. Arguably the best known of them were La Belle et la Běte (Beauty and the Beast) from 1946 and Orphée (Orpheus) from 1950. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1950 film Les Enfants terribles (The Terrible Children) directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, which was based on his novel.

Philip Glass composed three operas based on these three films. His music is performed by sisters/pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque. Tjhey have long been incredible interpreters of Glass’ music and this album is no exception. The faster paced compositions are played with incredible precision. The softer, quieter pieces are given the full emotion that Glass possesses and imbues these compositions with so beautifully.

Michael Riesman, who serves as music director for Glass, wrote the piano arrangements for this recording. There are thirty tracks with over 90 minutes of music. 

Any Philip Glass fan will want to have Cocteau Trilogy. For those of you who aren’t necessarily Glass fans, I strongly recommend this recording. You just might be after listening to it.

The rest of my selections for New In Music this Week: February 26^th are:

CLASSICAL: GERSHWIN RHAPSODY – Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Michael Feinstein – Deutsche Grammophon

I was a little puzzled when I started listening to this album. The first cue is Rhapsody in Blue, but it runs only 65 seconds. As this album by pianist Thibaudet and pianist/vocalist Feinstein continued I realized this is a mostly continuous suite of music for two pianos and sometimes Feinstein’s vocals.

Not all of it is Gershwin’s music (Tea for Two is included), but many of the usual suspects are arranged in unique ways that will definitely entertain any listener. Feinstein worked with Ira Gershwin for years. The result of that relationship are a couple rarities I hadn’t heard before: Sutton Place and Under the Cinnamon Tree.

Thibaudet has long performed Gershwin’s music. Feinstein has spent his life as an advocate for the Great American Songbook. Gershwin Rhapsody makes them perfect ambassadors for two-piano arrangements of his music.

JAZZ:  GUARDIANS – Annie Chen – JZ Music

Composer/vocalist Chen does an incredible job of writing and performing avant-garde jazz that perfectly blends Western traditions with Eastern sounds and influences. Guardians is her musical call to action for better care of the environment.

Born in Beijing, Chen brings an international ensemble together for this fascinating album:  Marius Duboule on guitar; Victor Gonçalves on piano and accordion; Fung Chern Hwei on violin and viola; Alex LoRe on alto sax, flute and bass clarinet; Matthew Muntz on bass; and Satoshi Takeishi on drums and percussion. They hail from Switzerland, Brazil, Malaysia, the USA and Japan respectively.

Chen has created an album that shuttles amongst multiple styles of music rewarding adventurous listeners richly.

JAZZ:  PSA – PSA – PSA Records

When an album shares its name with the artist and the record label, it would make sense that your first question would be who is PSA. The P is guitarist Pritesh Walia. The S is keyboardist Sharik Hasan. The A is drummer Avery Logan. (Consider that my public service announcement.)

These three make up an organ trio unlike any you’ve ever heard. The music absolutely has nods to a traditional organ trio, but it also has a boldness and a spirit that is far edgier. Take for example the opening track Circle Around which immediately lets you know you’re in for something different.

Hymn, sounds like it came straight out of a church. By the end the church has acquired an electric guitar, but it is no-less holy for having done so.

This is PSA’s debut album. It will be exciting to see what they do next.

JAZZ:  FAMILIA – Rodrigo Recabarren, Pablo Menares, Yago Vazquez – Greenleaf Music

Drummer Recabarren, bassist Menares and pianist Vazquez pay tribute to their families and their upbringing in this trio album with a twist. Vazquez is from Spain and the other two are Chilean. Familia incorporates traditional rhythms and musical styles from those countries.

Vazquez composed five of the nine tracks on Familia. Recabarren and Menares wrote two each. What becomes clear early on in the album is that they are not just writing about their personal families, but writing and playing as a family themselves. This is a beautifully performed album filled with tons of emotion and, most importantly, good music.

JAZZ:  STANDARDS – Yotam Silberstein – Jojo Records

The first thing that stands out to me on this album is that the standards guitarist Silberstein has chosen are not the usual suspects. Sure, Stella by Starlight and If I Loved You are titles instantly recognizable to fans of standards. But the rest of the album has equally great music and this album makes an argument for them to be considered standards, too.

Silberstein includes music by Leroy Anderson, Nelson Cavaquinho, Miles Davis, Tommy Flanagan, Jay Livingston and Wes Montgomery.  

The core trio on this recording are Silberstein, drummer Billy Hart and bassist John Patitucci. Joining for two tracks (including his own composition Lo-Joe) is saxophonist George Coleman.

Guitar trios are not usually my go-to choice, but this album inspires me to seriously re-think that opinion. 

JAZZ:  BEING GUIDED BY THE LIGHT – Mamiko Watanabe – Jojo Records

There are only three original compositions by pianist Watanabe on this trio record. That’s my only complaint. After hearing the title track, Atomic Space and The Music Game, I wanted more.

Joined by bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Billy Hart, this is a tight trio record. This is her fifth album, but sadly my first exposure to her. In addition to her own compositions I was particularly impressed with Pas De Trois by John Hicks, The Scene is Clean by Tadd Dameron and McCoy Tyner’s Island Birdie.

MUSICALS:  WHISPER DARKLY- Concept Album – TBIC Music Group

Composer/Lyricist Andrew Gerle and book writer DJ Salisbury teamed up for this musical they call part of the retro-inspired genre. What is that? To paraphrase their own words: 20s and 30s jazz/vaudeville combined with EDM beats.

Whisper Darkly tells the story of a speakeasy whose world is turned upside down with the arrival of an African-American singer who sends shockwaves through the owner, the performers and the audience.

Performing the songs are Alistair Brammer (Miss Saigon); Kayla Davion (Tina); Claybourne Elder (Company); Keri René Fuller (Six: The Musical), Alli Mauzey (Kimberly Akimbo); Howard McGillin (The Phantom of the Opera); Brad Oscar (The Producers); Aléna Watters (The Cher Show) and more.

I have to admit to thinking in advance that I was going to be listening to a 2024 version of Taco’s Putting on the Ritz from the 1980s. In fact, I almost gave up when I finished The Top Dug Strut, the second song on the recording. But I continued and found myself enjoying the rest of the recording. There’s really good material here! Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

That’s it for New In Music This Week: February 23^rd.

Enjoy the music!

Enjoy your weekend!

Main Photo: Part of the album art from Cocteau Trilogy