Charl du plessis trio
Shangai Brunch
I wrote some months ago about Charl du Plessis and how he reminded me of Jacques Loussier. His Shanghai Brunch album is an absolute winner. There are 18 tracks with music from famous composers such as Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy and many others including the great Du Plessis himself.
Listening to the album becomes a groot kopskrap if, like me, your memory of classical compositions has become clouded over the years.
His renditions, here gentle and there swinging, will have you thinking, ‘I know this piece, but what is it and who composed it?’
Even Debussy’s Clair de Lune had me fooled, as did the same composer’s Golliwog’s Cake Walk (no offence intended).
Du Plessis’s artistry on the piano is breathtaking and he is ably aided by Werner Spies on double and electric bass and Hugo Radyn on drums.
As Du Plessis says of Radyn: “I like his drumming because he can drum softly as well as loudly.”
Some of the titles are real jawbreakers for the uninitiated: Andante from Piano Concerto No 21; Marcia Funèbre from Piano Sonata No 2; Pavan pour une Infant Dèfunte, etc.
But don’t let that put you off; this is a swinging album as only the Charl du Plessis Trio can produce. This CD is available locally. See the competition details below.
Airborne – Silver Skies
25th Anniversary
Feeling a little down? Try a dose of Airborne’s 25th anniversary album, Silver Skies, and you will get instant relief.
Formed in the 1980s, these veterans of jazz celebrate years of recording projects, jazz festivals, concerts and clubs.
The members have toured the world and released many award- winning and chart topping CDs.
They have received worldwide airplay and international acclaim and are the proclaimed “Musical Peacemakers” of contemporary jazz as they send out an inspira-tional message of hope to the world. Well, that’s what their blurb says, but for me they are a group of 11 very musical musos.
The 12 tracks offer an eclectic selection of jazz varieties, and I especially like their foray into the Latin-American style.
This album is not available locally, but to listen to some of the tracks and get buying information, go to www.airbornejazz.com.
The competition today is sponsored by Du Plessis who is offering readers five Shanghai Brunch CDs. Who knows, he may even autograph the winners’ copies.
WIN! WIN! WIN!
Who composed Clair de Lune?
• Please submit one entry only to: [email protected] and include your name, postal address and contact numbers as well as the answer. The competition closes at noon tomorrow.
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