Retro Americana
Navona, 2021
9/10
The piano wizard Christina Petrowska Quilico takes on a stunning project here, where she covers a centuries worth of North American piano music from the composers Henry Cowell, Frederic Rzewski, George Gershwin, Bill Westcott, Meredith Monk and Art Tatum.
“Six Ings” starts the listen with 6 movements that showcase Quilico’s intimate and exploratory nature with incredible progressions, and “WINNSBORO COTTON MILL BLUES” follows with a low rumbling that spends 9 minutes mesmerizing us with a swirling execution.
The middle tracks belong to Gershwin and Westcott, where the former has the keys dancing around light melodies with much attention to detail, while the latter emits plenty of sublime beauty, as well as playful and stylish blues friendly moments.
Nearing the end, Monk’s 4 pieces unfold with a diversity that welcomes reflective moments alongside frisky bouts, and “I’ll Never Be The Same” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” exits the listen with incredible meticulousness that does justice to Tatum’s innovative jazz piano playing.
Quilico has released 50+ records(!), and this body of work offers interpretations that showcase her unparalleled piano playing with wonder and awe.
Travels well with: James Dashow- Synchronies; Bruce Crossman- Heaven To Earth Border House