Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Alan Pasqua: Soliloquy

7

Alan Pasqua: Soliloquy

By

Sign in to view read count
Alan Pasqua: Soliloquy
Webster's Dictionary defines the word "soliloquy" as "the act of talking to oneself." In terms of solo piano recordings, it is an apt title. Pianist Alan Pasqua's Soliloquy is a sophisticated and reflective, alone-with-the piano work, a deliberative and lovely take on a batch well-chosen standards and one Bob Dylan tune.

A versatile and virtuosic player, Pasqua has recorded with a wide array of top line jazz artists—Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motion, Michael and Randy Brecker, etc—as well as rock/pop artists John Fogerty, Starship, Dylan and more.

A glance at the set list says that Pasqua has got it bad for the music of Duke Ellington, and that's quite good. He includes Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good," and "Lotus Blossom," from the pen of Billy Strayhorn. All are given a expanded harmonic depth that moves them away from a "rote rendition" mode. Melodic flourishes blossom beautifully off the main lines. And that proves to be the template for the entire set—a sojourn into the heart of the melodies that nudges them slightly off the beaten path without pushing them to a point beyond recognisability.

As for the Dylan tune, "Girl From the North Country," the opening cut of Dylan's underrated Nashville Skyline (Columbia, 1969) album: It seems a stretch of a choice for a set consisting of music from Ellington, Cole Porter ("Embraceable You'), Johnny Mandel ("A Time for Love") and the Schwartz/Dietz team ("I See Your Face Before Me"); but Pasqua shape-shifts this simple song of longing into solemn hymn, a joyful prayer that serves as a highlight, if one must be chosen.

Recorded in Pasqua's Santa Monica studio on a Steinway concert grand piano that gives the sound an exquisite crispness, Soliloquy earns a spot as one of the top piano albums of the year.

Track Listing

Hello Young Lovers; I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good; Lotus Blossom; I See Your Face Before Me; In A Sentimental Mood; Embraceable You; Isn't It Romantic; Girl From The North Country; A Time For Love; There Are Such Things.

Personnel

Alan Pasqua: piano.

Album information

Title: Soliloquy | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Mouthpiece Music

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.