I love this CD! It
constantly amazes me how many outstanding composer/pianists there are
out there - especially in relation to the few who are highly
commercially successful within this broad genre. I would say that
"Active Imagination" definitely belongs near the top of the
heap. Isadar's style is original, and his pianism is excellent. He
lists his inspirations as Liz Story, Keith Jarrett, and Bill Evans,
and I can hear traces of all three in his playing, but find his
composing and playing styles to be uniquely his own. The first three
tracks are lively and upbeat ("Active Imagination",
"Throwing the Dice", and "Where the Wild Things
Are") with an easy, jazzy, improvised feel. The meter changes
are fascinating, and the bluesy beat on "Wild Things" is
infectious. From there, the mood seems to gradually darken and become
more introspective. "Waiting" is a beautiful, flowing mood
piece full of questions and a lovely melody line. Isadar's cover of
Liz Story's "Wedding Rain" is wonderful - this is a piece I
often work on with my advanced students, and everything about
Isadar's interpretation of the piece seems right without being a
carbon-copy of Liz's recording. "Feu Follett (The 'Spook'
Light)" has a nice, easy flow with a strong sense of mystery; it
also has an unusual rhythm that lightens the mood and adds a bounce.
"Uncertainty" is cooler and more aloof, but gorgeous in its
flowing introspection - that it ends with a major chord, feels like
the soul-searching has had positive results. "Love Chaconne"
is the closing track, and is the longest and most abstract piece on
the CD. The left hand plays a repeated pattern while the right hand
goes off in several different directions (one of the primary
characteristics of a "chaconne"). Beautiful in its
simplicity, this is the only track that seems to contain an element
of pain and sorrow, but never dissolves into melodrama. "Active
Imagination" is excellent from start to finish and I highly
recommend it to anyone who likes solo piano with substance and
complexity, but is still accessible, melodic, and rhythmic. Bravo amundo! |