Michel Petrucciani - Both Worlds (1997) [re-rip]

The diminutive piano dynamo with the dynamic technique has enjoyed a decidedly mixed recording career, never really establishing a good sense of momentum with any one company. That is perhaps until now, where Dreyfus has opened its arms to his various projects, this outing being a program exclusively of his original compositions. His writing is sparkling, witty, largely optimistic and full of heart. All is arranged by the esteemed Bob Brookmeyer, who also graces the session with the somewhat rare offering of his considerable trombone work, rare because his concentration in recent times has been on pen and paper. 

Also assisting Michel are drummer Steve Gadd, who used to be ubiquitous on New York sessions but who seems to have limited such activity in the latter ’90s; the adroit bass guitarist with the acoustic sensibility Anthony Jackson; trumpeter Flavio Boltro and saxophonist Stefano DiBattista, a nice cultural balancing act of three Americans and three Europeans, thus in part comes the title. The theme is further borne out in the Frenchman Petrucciani entrusting his creations to the arranging skills of the American Brookmeyer. The results are a fresh, jazz-proud date that neatly spans the poly-world sensibility. Petrucciani’s compositional influences are equally as disparate, but despite the melding of these wide-ranging elements the date works as a cohesive whole. And the ensemble flavor is indeed manifest. It certainly seems the wisdom of age and experience find Michel no longer content with diving headlong into piano furioso, instead he deals from the standpoint of the essence of jazz-the band sound, something all too rare these days. ~ Willard Jenkins, JazzTimes.

Dreyfus Records, FDM 36590-2, 1997
Recorded 1997At Right Track Recording Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Michel Petrucciani - Piano
Flavio Boltro - Trumpet
Bob Brookmeyer - Trombone, Arranger
Stefano Di Battista - Soprano & Alto Saxophones
Anthony Jackson - Bass
Steve Gadd - Drums 

Tracks:
1. 35 Seconds Of Music And More (5:24)
2. Brazilian Like (4:47)
3. Training (3:58)
4. Colors (6:58)
5. Petite Louise (5:25)
6. Chloe Meets Gershwin (6:14)
7. Chimes (5:11)
8. Guadeloupe (6:12)
9. On Top Of The Roof (5:35) 

All Compositions by Michel Petrucciani 

Total Time: 49:50

Credits:
Producer - Francis Dreyfus, Yves Chamberland
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Roger Roche
Mastering Engineer - Scott Hull [Masterdisk, New York]
Photos - Jean Ber [Back/Front]
Photos - William Laxton [Booklet]
Artwork - Jean-Paul Théodule
Liner Notes - Thierry Pérémarti

LINK

Brazilian Like

Michel Petrucciani Trio - Live At The Village Vanguard (1984)

A very expressive and thrilling live trio date at the renowned 'Village Vanguard' in New York by three great artists, leader Michel Petrucciani is in fine form alongside two equally brilliant jazz musicians; bassist Palle Danielsson and drummer Eliot Zigmund. Here's what Michel had to say about the remarkable event. "It is very difficult to speak of Art. I would rather simply say "Please close your eyes, and take what is there to give." However, I wish to tell you about the pleasure we feel bringing you this music. For me, working with Palle and Eliot is a great honor. When we shape the rhythms and frequencies, and all the magical sounds come out ... it is blessing, because the communication is so spontaneous. So fresh. So simple. And we like to think it is so like life itself. I love the feeling we all have of wishing to share those colors and joy to make the people happy. Thank You. ~ Michel Petrucciani. 

Concord Jazz, GW-3006, 1985
Concord Jazz, CCD 43006, 2002
Blue Note / EMI, 7243 5 40382 2 8, 2002
Recorded 16th March, 1984 with The Fedco Truck at the Village Vanguard, New York 

Musicians:
Michel Petrucciani - Piano
Palle Danielsson - Bass
Eliot Zigmund - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Nardis {Miles Davis} (11:12)
2. Oleo {Sonny Rollins} (6:49)
3. Le Bricoleur De Big Sur {Michel Petrucciani} (3:23)
4. To Erlinda {Michel Petrucciani} (11:29)
5. Say It Again And Again {Michel Petrucciani} (9:52)
6. Trouble {Olle Adolphson} (9:36)
7. Three Forgotten Magic Words {Michel Petrucciani} (8:57)
8. 'Round About Midnight {Bernie Hanighen, Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams} (8:51) 

Total Time: 70:10 

Credits:
Producer, Engineer, Editing, Back Photo - Gabreal Franklin
Co-producer, Editing, Liner Notes - Michel Petrucciani
Engineer - Tom Arrison
Editing - Phil Edwards
Mastering - George Horn
Photography [Front] - Jerry Takigawa
Photography [Inside] - Alison Perry

Michel Petrucciani - Playground (1991)

Pianist Michel Petrucciani, who during the early part of his career was heavily influenced by Bill Evans, gradually developed his own sound. By 1991 he was using Adam Holzman on synthesizer with his quintet (which on this date also includes bassist Anthony Jackson, drummer Omar Hakim and percussionist Steve Thornton) to play colors behind his piano. In addition, Petrucciani was backed by funky rhythms and emphasized his own original compositions. Rather than selling out to blatant commercialism, Petrucciani had actually found his own voice within the "contemporary" setting. The music on his CD is of consistently high quality (despite a few too many fadeouts). Highlights include "Miles Davis' Licks" (a blues that utilizes some of Davis' late-period nursery rhyme melodies), the intense "Brazilian Suite #3," a playful jam on "Laws of Physics" and the Keith Jarrett-ish "P'tit Louis." Actually, all 11 of Michel Petrucciani's originals are worth hearing and, despite the brief playing time (39 minutes) of this CD, it is recommended. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Blue Note, CDP 7 95480 2, 1991
Recorded [Basic tracks and Overdubs] at Clinton Recording Studios, New York 

Musicians:
Michel Petrucciani - Piano [Steinway], Synthesizer, Arranger
Adam Holzman - Synthesizer, Programming [Synthesizer], Co-Arranger
Anthony Jackson - Bass
Omar Hakim - Drums (#1-4,6-9,11)
Aldo Romano - Drums (#5)
Steve Thornton - Percussion 

Tracks:
01. September Second {Michel Petrucciani} (4:45)
02. Home {Michel Petrucciani} (5:29)
03. P'tit Louis {Michel Petrucciani} (4:35)
04. Miles Davis' Licks {Michel Petrucciani} (4:29)
05. Rachid {Michel Petrucciani} (3:26)
06. Brazilian Suite #3 {Michel Petrucciani} (2:34)
07. Play School {Michel Petrucciani} (3:05)
08. Contradictions {Michel Petrucciani} (3:00)
09. Laws Of Physics {Adam Holzman} (4:47)
10. Piango, Pay The Man {Michel Petrucciani} (1:54)
11. Like That {Michel Petrucciani} (1:41) 

Total Time: 39:45 

Credits:
Producer - Eric Kressmann, Michel Petrucciani
Engineer - Tom Swift
Recording [Assistant] - Joe Martin, Neil Dignon
Mixing [Assistant] - David Merrill
Mastering - Jose Rodriques
Photography [Back] - Carol Friedman
Photography [Cover] - John Fenton
Art Direction - Carol Friedman
Design - Patrick Roques

Michel Petrucciani - Promenade With Duke (1993)

In an interview, Michel Petrucciani said "...my biggest inspiration is Duke Ellington, because in my very early age he gave [me] the inspiration to play the piano." For Promenade with Duke Petrucciani not only honors music Ellington composed, but music with which he was associated. There are some Billy Strayhorn pieces and other songs where Ellington's compositional contributions are arguably marginal. That the album offers an adventure in harmony is predicted by the first cut, "Caravan." Stretching over seven minutes in length, it explores, in-depth, virtually every nuance of this 1936 hit which Ellington wrote with trombonist Juan Tizol. Bold approaches to harmonies notwithstanding, Petrucciani does not desert his basic let-it-all-hang-out romanticism which he celebrates on "Lush Life." He emphasizes feelings of sentimentality in his rendition of "In a Sentimental Mood." His interpretation is brooding and introspective, but every now and then some bright chords hold out the hope that the somber climate may be passing. Petrucciani is a master at clarifying the mood he is trying to create with his piano. Not all the music on the album is familiar Ellington, as shown in the presence of two rarely performed pieces, "Hidden Joy" and "One Night in the Hotel." It is on the well-known "Take the 'A' Train," however, that Petrucciani expresses best the joy he experiences with Ellington's music and the influence it has had on him. His is a rousing, twisting rendition of the Duke's signature tune. Promenade with Duke is one of the more innovative and stimulating sets of solo piano performances of Ellington's music on disc. ~ by Dave Nathan, AMG.

Blue Note, CDP 0777 7 80590 28, 1993

Recorded at Power Station, New York

Michel Petrucciani - Piano [Steinway]

Tracks:

1. Caravan {Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol} (7:51)

2. Lush Life {Billy Strayhorn} (3:48)

3. Take The "A" Train {Billy Strayhorn} (3:01)

4. African Flower {Duke Ellington} (4:40)

5. In A Sentimental Mood {Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Manny Kurtz} (6:01)

6. Hidden Joy {Michel Petrucciani} (8:03)

7. One Night In The Hotel {Michel Petrucciani} (5:39)

8. Satin Doll {Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer} (7:11)

9. C-Jam Blues {Duke Ellington} (1:52)

Credits:

Producer - Gilles Avinzac

Producer, Mixing - Michel Petrucciani

Executive Producer - Eric Kressmann

Sound & Mixing Engineer - Roger Roche

Assistant Sound Engineer - Chris Albert

Mastering Engineer - Jose Rodriguez [Sterling Sound, NYC]

Art Direction - Cynthia Cochrane, Felix Cromey

Design - Patrick Roques

Total Time: 48:06

Must Have CD for Any Jazz Piano Enthusiast

=================================

I am a jazz pianist myself and think that this is some of the most superb piano playing I have ever heard. It is highly recommended - showing incredible imagination, musical sophistication, technique and most importantly beautiful emotion. A must have addition to any collection. ~ Edward N. Page, Amazon.com.