(Contemporary Jazz, Ragtime, Classical, Latin, Piano) [WEB] David Gordon Trio - Alexander Scriabin’s Ragtime Band - 2016, FLAC (tracks), lossless

On very rare occasions when listening to the first few bars of the opening track of an album you know that what you are about to hear will be immense. This was such an occasion.
The David Gordon trio have taken on an a gigantic task with the music of Alexander Scriabin and completely "nailed it". The album, a generous seventy five minutes in length features mostly tracks either composed or influenced by Scriabin plus others by such diverse hand's s as Irving Berlin, Claude Debussy and W.C. Handy. Nearly all the arrangements are by David Gordon himself. These pieces are not "jazzed up" versions of the classics, far from it, they take a completely fresh look at the music and interpret it in a strong and modernistic jazz tradition.
The Russian composer and pianist Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was born in Moscow on Christmas day 1871 and died in April 1915. Influenced by Chopin he was a man ahead of his time controversially employing a dissonant and innovative musical language much to the dismay of his contemporary's. He is in a line of composers that include Stravinsky and Prokofiev, all three being admired by the jazz fraternity.
Pianist David Gordon began to learn the instrument at the age of four, started composing at six and discovered jazz at ten. He is as just at home in the world of Baroque music, where he has toured the world with major orchestras, and appeared at the BBC Prom's. In the mid eighties, while still a student he was playing alongside major jazz musicians such as Andy Sheppard and Keith Tippett. In recent times he has withdrawn somewhat from the classical world to concentrate on jazz and his own trio in particular. The current line up is completed by two further fine musicians: Jonty Fisher a highly stylish and masterful bass player, is very busy on the London scene, has played with the likes of Jacqui Dankworth and Frank Holder, whilst also being a long term member of Kate Dimbleby's band. His dual career finds him composing for films and television. On drums is Berklee College Of Music graduate, the highly experienced Paul Cavaciuti, an educator, composer and artist who operates across a wide range of musical styles and can often be seen within the band's of Jim Mullen, Dave O'Higgins and Annie Whitehead.
This album the sixth by the trio shows itself to be even more than the sum of it's considerable parts. The first two tracks are as diverse as it is possible to be. The opener "Praeludium Mysterium"is in style right out of the EST songbook, both dramatic and hypnotic in equal measure with each trio member coming to the fore in turn to produce an ever changing kaleidoscope of sound. Nothing like this could prepare the listener for track two, a highly humorous version of the album's title cut complete with male harmony a la The Four Freshman meet Fats Waller.
Things become far more centered as the disc progresses with the Scriabin themes seemingly being converted to the jazz idiom in such a way as to draw the listener into thinking that the composer envisaged this in his writing over a century ago. There are no lows on this disc at all although "Famous Etude" and "Nuances" are particularly spellbinding. Away from Scriabin, Claude Debussy's "Cakewalk" and the great jazz standard "St Louis Blues" where W.C. Handy would have surely approved, receive equal treatment. "Rootless Sonata" is another stunning track coloured by the addition of guitarist Calum Heath's precise note placement within the mix before the interest is fully maintained with a solo piano performance on the penultimate piece "Passinha" the beauty of which requires few jazz overtones. Things conclude with the eight minute "River" again in solo piano mode before bass and drums join forces to produce a compelling finale to this truly outstanding album. (Jim Burlong, Jazzviews)