Kenny Werner - Paintings (1992)

‘Paintings’ is a highly acclaimed 1994 jazz album composed and led by the world-class American jazz pianist Kenny Werner. It is not a display of physical canvas art, but an audio gallery where each track serves as a musical interpretation of famous painters, art movements, or visual concepts. The track "Kandinsky" earned Werner a Distinguished Artist Award for Composition. The album structure behaves like a walkthrough of an art exhibition with the complex compositions brought to life by a stellar lineup of avant-garde and post-bop jazz musicians. Joining Kenny on piano and synthesisers is trumpeter Tim Hagans, tenorist Billy Drewes, violinist Mark Feldman, cellist Erik Friedlander, bassist Ratzo Harris and drummer Tom Rainey. Othe guests include Richard Martinez on synthesizers, percussionists Cafe Edson Adasilva and Jamie Haddad and vocalist Judi Silvano. Overall, the album is powerful showcase of Kenny's writing and musical skills enhanced by an equally adept group of players. 

Pioneer Records, PICJ-1101, 1994
Digitally recorded April, 1992 at Skyline Studios, New York 

Musicians:
Kenny Werner - Piano, Synthesizers
Tim Hagans - Trumpet
Billy Drewes - Tenor Sax
Richard Martinez - Synthesizers (#1,5)
Ratzo Harris - Bass
Erik Friedlander - Cello
Mark Feldman - Violin
Tom Rainey - Drums
Cafe Edson Adasilva - Percussion (#1,5)
Jamie Haddad- Percussion (#3)
Judi Silvano - Vocals (#6-8) 

Tracks:
1. Light / Hello Dali (6:53)
2. Pablo (5:52)
3. Renoir / Waterlillies (8:07)
4. The Cubists (3:49)
5. One Hundred Flowers (6:14)
6. Fire In The Evening (6:18)
7. Jackson Five (3:55)
8. The Vowel Song (5:16)
9. Kandinsky / Back To Light (4:16) 

All compositions by Kenny Werner 

Total Time: 50:40 

Credits:
Producer - Takao Ogawa
Executive-Producer [Pioneer LDC] - Kunihiko Otsuka
Digital Recording, Mixing & Music Editing, Midi Programming - Paul Wickliffe
Engineer [Assistant] - Dave Schiffman, Hiro Ishikawa
Mastering Engineer - Masayuki Makino
A&R [International, Pioneer LDC] - Hiro Asano
Art Direction, Cover Art, Design - Shinya Isshi
Photography [Artist Photos] - Shinsuke Yamamoto

LINK

The Cubists

Roseanna Vitro - Softly (1993)

Singer Roseanna Vitro is expert at interpreting lyrics and scats with a strong sense of adventure. Ballads predominate on her excellent Concord CD, but there are also a few cookers (including a surprisingly rapid "I'm Through With Love"). The singer covers a wide variety of material (some of it of recent vintage) with a touching version of "So Many Stars" being a high point. Vitro is greatly assisted by a fine trio starring pianist Fred Hersch; the tenors of Tim Ries and George Coleman help out on some selections. This rewarding CD gives one a fine example of Roseanna Vitro's talents. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Concord Jazz, CCD-4587, 1993
Recorded at:
Horizon Sound, New Jersey;
Skyline Studios, New York 

Musicians:
Roseanna Vitro - Vocals
Tim Ries - Saxophone (#3,4,8,9)
George Coleman - Saxophone (#7,12,13)
Fred Hersch - Piano
Jay Anderson - Bass
Tom Rainey - Drums
Mino Cinelu - Percussion 

Tracks:
01. Falling In Love With Love {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (3:37)
02. In Summer {Bruno Brighetti, Jon Hendricks, Bruno Martino} (5:36)
03. A Song For All Ages {Fred Hersch, Cheryl Pyle} (4:54)
04. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise {Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg} (4:38)
05. Moon And Sand {William Engvick, Morty Palitz, Alec Wilder} (4:24)
06. So Many Stars {Alan Bergman, Marilyn Keith, Sergio Mendes} (6:05)
07. I'm Through With Love {Gus Kahn, Fud Livingston, Matty Malneck} (3:44)
08. Wild Is The Wind {Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington} (6:17)
09. Life I Choose {Tom Harrell, Cheryl Pyle} (4:18)
10. Our Love Rolls On {Dave Frishberg} (3:54)
11. Nothing Like You {Bob Dorough, Fran Landesman} (3:07)
12. Why Try To Change Me Now? {Cy Coleman, Joseph McCarthy} (5:11)
13. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues {Duke Ellington, Don George} (4:45) 

Total Time: 60:38

Credits:
Producer - Roseanna Vitro
Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Photography - Paul Wickliffe
Executive Producer - Carl Jefferson
Production Coordination - Elizabeth Bell
Assistant - Matt Curry, John Wall
Mastering - George Horn
Hair Stylist - Claudio Ugalde
Liner Notes - Zan Stewart