Scenes From A Life
Navona, 2021
8/10
The esteemed composer Monika Gurak is making quick work with her time on the Navona label, as she returns with Michael Davidson’s vibraphone and piano from Emma Colette Moss and Scott Downing on this very modern chamber listen.
“Humoresque” opens the listen with 15 segments, where the playful vibraphone and jumpy keys interact with much warmth and charm. The setting is completely unpredictable, and is full of bright melody and a unique energy that alone is worth the price of admission.
Deeper into the listen, “Romance Sonámbulo” focuses on emotive piano in its sublime delivery that abruptly turns swift, while “A Story” flows with a breezy pace of cascading beauty from the graceful piano. “Scenes From A Life” exits the listen, and glides with a very mature and intricate execution of soft and agile key work.
An album that covers a lot of territory across its 5 compositions, Gurak clearly put much thought into the affair, and the company she brings with emits a keen sense of intimacy and playfulness that you’re not going to find anywhere else.
Travels well with: Pavel Gintov- Piano Fantasies; Paul Paccione- Music For Piano