Search - Eddie Daniels :: Five Seasons

Absolutely Stunning

Paul Miller | San Diego, CA | 12/01/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Eddie Daniels is known for his liquid improvisation and unbelievable creativity in the jazz idiom, but his Julliard training surely shines through here in The Five Seasons.Daniels treats these arrangements of Vivaldi with the utmost respect, but brings the recreative, interpretive art of music to new heights with this amazing performance. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra plays flawlessly under the baton of Bernard Rubenstein, Jorge Calandrelli's arrangements are extraordinary, and the rhythm section grooves right along (check out Dave Carpenter's bass playing on the second movement of "Summer" around 1:20 -- very, very hip). I would be remiss to ignore the incredible engineering work done by Armin Steiner -- many classical and jazz albums fall flat because of poor sound engineering -- this recording sounds like you're actually there, in spite of the problems inherent to the CD format. Excellent sound design and the collaborative chemistry of the performers themselves combine here to create the single most amazing classical or jazz CD in my collection.Daniels is at his best here. His technique is flawless as always, his intonation is perfect at every moment, and his tone is undeniably what every clarinetist should strive to achieve. While his technique is amazing, it's not at all the focus of this recording. Daniels transitions between the jazz and classic idioms so fluently that one often has no idea it's happened until it's too late. Daniels' improvisation never feels out of place, and is always informed by the baroque idiom.The Four Seasons has become worn out by dozens of so-so performances, but Daniels et al breathe new life into Vivaldi. I've never heard more satisfying performances of these masterpieces. Thank you, Eddie."

Musical Revolution!

Paul Miller | 05/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fresh and innovative, Eddie Daniels' interpretation of "The Four Seasons" is nothing short of fantastic. "The Four Seasons" is the classic collection of four string concertos, but Daniels proves that these classics are not limited by time and instrumentation. The presence of jazz, moreover, furthers the freshness of Mr. Daniel's rendition of the classic. Throughout the CD, Eddie Daniels proves that he is as competent a classical player as he is a jazz musician. Overall, "The Five Seasons" will please a wide spectrum of people; hard core classical and jazz musicians and everyone in-between will love this seamless marriage of the two popular styles."

Something Not To Miss

Kudru | New Mexico United States | 06/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am taking a course in Jazz and the teacher's teacher is Eddie Daniels. He lives not far from where I live. I belive this CD is the best he has ever done. It is basically the 4 seasons with a bit of a jazz twist. Then, Eddie composed his own season, which is a bit neutral because it is not exactly a particular season like Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter. Anyway, all of the tracks on this CD are good and it is nothing to miss out on."