This disc won plaudits in the past couple of years when some were surprised to see Houstoun, our renowned pianist, teaming up with the country’s top jazz band. I agree with Steve Garden, of Rattle Records, that there is now an increasing solid jazz/classical crossover.
"Music is music, despite the tags that attempt to pigeonhole it."
We hear Michael play Bill Cunliffe’s version of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3 (third movement) in wonderful style, frolicking with the big-band sound. His rippling keys blend with the ripping brass in exciting beats. It is evident in this item, Mike Nock’s Raff Riff and three other bold Cunliffe arrangements that Rodger Fox’s trombone and merry band find a meeting place here, passionately straddling the worlds of dynamic music.
Verdict: Rocking fun for concert pianist.
Here is another Houstoun disc, New Zealand’s 2013 "classical record of the year" and it is still available. It features solo piano music by the late Douglas Lilburn (no relation to Anthony Ritchie as wrongly suggested last week).
This is a "sampler" of music from all periods of the composer’s life: a sonata, sonatina, longer short pieces and small jewels, music for children, and a lot of incidental music for plays.
There are 24 tracks and many of them were composed for David Armstrong’s play Rita and David, based successfully on letters written to Lilburn by the artist Rita Angus.
This is a great introduction to the personal favourites of one of our top pianists — and he promotes the works of our most famous composer, recognised internationally.
Verdict: Fine music, lovingly played.
- Geoff Adams
