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| Pt.2: MPS - Piano month on MPS John Taylor // Monty Alexander // Fritz Pauer MPS is known for its amazing piano greats and newcomers: e.g. Monty Alexander published a big number of albums in his early carrier in the Black Forest. His work in this release bunch is joined by the albums of two other giants on the piano: John Taylor and Fritz Pauer. John Taylor - Decipher "…one of contemporary jazz's great performers…" so reads the prestigious Guardian newspaper's assessment of English pianist John Taylor. As house pianist at London's legendary Ronny Scott's jazz club, Taylor accompanied many of the icons of jazz, and in so doing honed his individual style into what became one of the most important voices on the European jazz scene. The gigs and recordings of his own groups, his long-time association with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, his many ECM trio recordings with Peter Erskine and Palle Danielsonn and groups lead by the likes of Jan Garbarek and John Surman established Taylor's importance. Taylor's 1973 MPS trio album Decipher features two top players, bassist Chris Laurence and drummer Tony Levin, who perfectly compliment Taylor's wide-ranging style on an album that offers the listener a delicious taste of his compositions. Monty Alexander - Here Comes The Sun This 1971 recording signals the beginning of Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander's fruitful relationship with MPS, lasting over a decade and encompassing some dozen albums. Originally touted as heir to Oscar Peterson's crown, Alexander is famous for his virtuoso melding of jazz, the sounds of the Caribbean and blues. The classic Dave Brubeck Quartet's bassist Eugene Wright, calypso percussionist Montego Joe, and ace drummer Duffy Jackson round out the quartet. Fritz Pauer - Power by Pauer Power stands out as a gem of a live trio recording. Fritz Pauer, alongside Joe Zawinul, is the most important Austrian jazz pianist of the last half century. Besides fronting his own exceptional groups, Pauer accompanied a host of European and American jazz giants throughout his career, including Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Sheila Jordan, and Albert Mangelsdorff. American bassist Jimmy Woode is best known as the bassist on some of Duke Ellington's classic recordings including the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival. After his move to Europe in 1960 he was one of the most sought-after bassists on the scene. The highly regarded Austrian drummer Eric Bachträgl completes the trio. All but one piece are originals. MPS Records New Digital Releases Digital Mastered for iTunes Distribution: Edel:Kultur/ Kontor New Media - Mastered for iTunes - 24-bit-Transfer from original master tapes - produced by Dirk Sommer write your comments about the article :: © 2016 Jazz News :: home page |