Search - Gerry Mulligan, Astor Piazzolla :: Summit - Reunion Cumbre

Brilliant - Piazzolla and Mulligan on Cloud 9!

zimri-lim | London, England | 10/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a unique disc and is, I believe, the only instance of Mulligan and Piazzolla playing together. Which is a shame, because this is a tremendous production which has a timeless appeal.Due to the influence of Mulligan this is a far more jazz-oriented production than tango-oriented but it has managed to retain the introspective and reflective soul of tango. Happily, there is little of the strident searching and experimentation in which Piazzolla occasionally indulged. Instead this is stunningly expressive and relective music with an almost melancholic feel. The compositions throughout are strong and the two leaders play well together with moments of real magic being created. Emphasis is placed on sincere musical expression as opposed to flashy technicalities. Mulligan's tone is unique and has to be heard; it's deep and warm and manages to pervade the room. Everybody will have their favourite tracks but I particularly enjoy the opener "Twenty Years Ago".I play this at night just before I go to sleep - it's perfect nocturnal music and one of my favourite discs overall. As such I recommended it unconditionally."