In this solo performance of New Focus: The Classical Connection, specially devised for Glasgow Jazz Festival in these times of social distancing, the award-winning pianist-composer Euan Stevenson shares his insights into the relationships between the classical and jazz traditions and illustrates the classical influence on his own composing.
Stevenson and his New Focus partner, saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski, have performed The Classical Connection to considerable acclaim in concert and won a five-star review from The Herald when the duo presented it at Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival in 2019.
The music here includes an Ellington-Erik Satie “mash-up” and to further illustrate Satie’s considerable influence on the jazz world, Stevenson delivers his hero, Bill Evans’ sublime, Satie-esque Blue in Green from the Miles Davis classic album Kind of Blue and his own Meditation, which is based on Satie’s Gymnopédie Number 3.
Look out, too, for a baroque-era setting of All the Things You Are, a jazz ballad treatment of Liszt’s Liebstraum and Stevenson’s swinging take on the Stuff Smith favourite You Look Good to Me, a long-time staple of another of Stevenson’s heroes, Oscar Peterson’s trio.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the 34th Glasgow Jazz Festival will be held virtually from Wednesday 17 until Sunday 21 June 2020. Over the 5 nights that the festival was scheduled to take place, we will support our homegrown Scottish jazz talent by streaming exclusive live performances and screenings.
All of these fantastic artists can be viewed from the comfort of your home via the MyPlayer.uk streaming service. Alongside this, additional music from the vibrant Scottish jazz scene can be enjoyed at your leisure over the 5 festival days.
The Virtual Festival will be free to view, however if you would like to donate to support Glasgow Jazz Festival's Community & Education Fund you can do so via Paypal for Charity.
Comments
That was beautiful and the reflections on Satie/Evans/Ellington very interesting.
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