Sound & Light
Navona, 2021
8/10
An esteemed brass soloist and educator, Demondrae Thurman tackles 5 pieces by his friends here, where Kathryn Fouse’s piano skills are present alongside Thurman’s top notch euphonium playing.
Barbara York’s Sonata For Euphonium And Piano “Child’s Play” starts the listen with warm and vibrant euphonium interacting with fluent keys in a very imaginative opener, and “Sonata For Euphonium And Piano”, by Doug Bristol, follows with a playful and swift display of strong dynamics between Thurman and Fouse that are delivered meticulously.
The middle track, “Insinuacóes”, moves initially gently with much emotion before building into a nearly jazz like climate with hypnotic piano in the Anne Victorino D’Almeida composition, while Patrick Schulz’s “Roonsonata” displays both firm keys and frisky euphonium in its colorful and varied approach that is so well executed, it alone is worth the price of admission.
An often overlooked and left out instrument in the brass family, Demondrae’s artistic and expressive use of the euphonium’s rich tone and diverse range makes Sound & Light a fascinating and exciting adventure that you can’t help but be drawn to.
Travels well with: Jordan Vanhemert Quintet- I Am Not A Virus; Stanley Grill- Remember