Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Download not available
For the academic and cerebral Ran Blake, the very idea of a "live" album is something of a curiosity, so it should be noted at the outset that the only evidence of an audience on Grey December: Live in Rome is some sparse applause at the end of a few tracks. Those listeners are treated to a typical solo piano outing from the 75-year-old avant-garde player, whose work may be categorized as jazz only for want of a better term. As usual, Blake proceeds largely by subtraction, stripping down his performances to carefully considered fragments of melodies and chords, with odd juxtapositions added here and there. He references Third Stream jazz with a version of Gunther Schuller's "Magic Row" and suggests another influence in "Mingus." Eden Ahbez's "Nature Boy" is a natural choice for a pianist attracted to spare, odd structures. For most of the album, the tracks are as short as they are underplayed, but Blake changes gears on the closer, an 11-minute "Inspirations: Abbey Lincoln," which is as rich and full of ideas as the preceding music had been parsimonious. It indicates that, like most septuagenarians, Blake now guards his resources and chooses his spots. Like any old master, he is doing more with less.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133,33/month
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Ran Blake, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Album review
For the academic and cerebral Ran Blake, the very idea of a "live" album is something of a curiosity, so it should be noted at the outset that the only evidence of an audience on Grey December: Live in Rome is some sparse applause at the end of a few tracks. Those listeners are treated to a typical solo piano outing from the 75-year-old avant-garde player, whose work may be categorized as jazz only for want of a better term. As usual, Blake proceeds largely by subtraction, stripping down his performances to carefully considered fragments of melodies and chords, with odd juxtapositions added here and there. He references Third Stream jazz with a version of Gunther Schuller's "Magic Row" and suggests another influence in "Mingus." Eden Ahbez's "Nature Boy" is a natural choice for a pianist attracted to spare, odd structures. For most of the album, the tracks are as short as they are underplayed, but Blake changes gears on the closer, an 11-minute "Inspirations: Abbey Lincoln," which is as rich and full of ideas as the preceding music had been parsimonious. It indicates that, like most septuagenarians, Blake now guards his resources and chooses his spots. Like any old master, he is doing more with less.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:40:21
- Main artists: Ran Blake
- Label: Tompkins Square
- Genre: Jazz
(C) 2011 Tompkins Square (P) 2011 Tompkins Square
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.