From Somewhere
Navona, 2024
8/10
The composer Laurie Altman and pianist Clipper Erickson come together for these 8 involved pieces that spread across 2 discs of solo instrumental ideas.
“Prelude 17” starts the listen with adventurous keys that are quite unpredictable and memorable, and “Preludes and Fugues Set I” follows with both calm and busy bouts of exciting and precise keys from Erickson.
Halfway through, “That Day” serves as a memorial for George Floyd, and it unfolds with both gentle and dramatic playing that suits the heavy mood of that day, while “Piano Sonata # 10 “Aleppo”, the album’s best, offers cinematic nods and meticulous manipulation of space.
Arriving near the end, “Soliloquy” emits melodic gestures that tug on the heartstrings, and “Boogie, Movement I, Sonata # 8” exits with a rumbling spirit and strategic energy that illustrates highly creative progressions.
A highly technical outing that touches on jazz, classical, and boogie, the sonatas, fugues and solos make for a universal appeal.
Travels well with: Franz Liszt- Majestic Liszt; Lawrence K. Moss- Unseen Paths