Monday, September 21, 2026

The Classical Jazz Quartet • Play Tchaikovsky



Review:
Jazz renditions of classical compositions go way back -- even before jazz, actually, when the procedure was called "ragging the classics." Tchaikovsky has been friendly territory for jazz players from the start with his great self-contained tunes. The Classical Jazz Quartet -- Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Stefon Harris on vibraphone and marimba, and Lewis Nash on drums -- takes up where the Modern Jazz Quartet of the 1950s left off. This disc was originally released as The Nutcracker Suite; it now reappears as part of a series of CJQ discs, each devoted to a different composer. This entire disc is based on Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, whose famous tunes each serve as a basis for a variety of post-bop modern jazz improvisations. Tchaikovsky works as well for this purpose as would popular song melodies (for several of which his music has already served as the source, anyhow). A special pleasure is the vibraphone "Dance of the Mirlitons," (here titled "Mirlitonova"), in which Harris comes to the fore with a strong evocation of the style of Milt Jackson of the Modern Jazz Quartet. With the caveat for classical purists that this is a jazz disc rather than a jazz-flavored performance of Tchaikovsky, this is fusion music that anyone can enjoy at holiday time.
by James Manheim
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-classical-jazz-quartet-play-tchaikovsky-mw0000016614

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Reseña:
Las interpretaciones de jazz de las composiciones clásicas se remontan a mucho tiempo atrás... incluso antes del jazz, en realidad, cuando el procedimiento se llamaba "ragging the classics". Tchaikovsky ha sido un territorio amigable para los jazzistas desde el principio con sus grandes melodías autónomas. El Cuarteto de Jazz Clásico -- Kenny Barron en el piano, Ron Carter en el bajo, Stefon Harris en el vibráfono y la marimba, y Lewis Nash en la batería -- continúa donde lo dejó el Cuarteto de Jazz Moderno de los años 50. Este disco fue originalmente lanzado como The Nutcracker Suite; ahora reaparece como parte de una serie de discos CJQ, cada uno dedicado a un compositor diferente. Todo este disco está basado en El Cascanueces de Tchaikovsky, cuyas famosas melodías sirven de base para una variedad de improvisaciones de jazz moderno post-bop. Tchaikovsky trabaja tan bien para este propósito como lo harían las melodías de canciones populares (para varias de las cuales su música ya ha servido como fuente, de todos modos). Un placer especial es el vibráfono "Dance of the Mirlitons", (aquí titulado "Mirlitonova"), en el que Harris se destaca con una fuerte evocación del estilo de Milt Jackson del Cuarteto de Jazz Moderno. Con la advertencia para los puristas clásicos de que este es un disco de jazz en lugar de una interpretación con sabor a jazz de Tchaikovsky, esta es la música de fusión que cualquiera puede disfrutar en tiempo de vacaciones.
por James Manheim
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-classical-jazz-quartet-play-tchaikovsky-mw0000016614


1. The Swingin' Nut
2. Marche Touche
3. Groove Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
4. Blues A La Russe
5. Bedouin Dreams
6. Oriental Rhythm
7. Mirlitonova
8. Vaunce Of The Flowers

Kenny Barron-piano
Ron Carter-bass
Stefon Harris-vibes & marimba
Lewis Nash-drums




Produced by Bob Belden & Suzanne Severini
Recorded at Avatar Studios, New York, 2001

Release date: 16 May, 2006




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