Anima Eterna Brugge & Jos van Immerseel – Gershwin (2017) [Qobuz FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

It’s not rare for jazz musicians to venture into the world of baroque, often with great success: so, asks Jos van Immerseel – why not the other way around? And so he decided to record… Gershwin. With the original instrumentation and arrangements, on period instruments! Gershwin’s period, that is: not the period of sackbuts and cromornes. The piano used on Rhapsody in Blue was a 1906 Steinway; the piece was first orchestrated by Ferde Grofré in 1906 for a jazz band (Gershwin had dragged his feet and dawdled and the work was finally performed before the ink was dry: and even then, the piano part appears to have been almost completely improvised). Also present are the tranquil vision of an American in Paris as distilled by Immerseel; several songs by Claron McFarren, who is certainly not of that era, but whose voice cleaves closely to a recognisable North American inter-war style; while Gershwin’s Magnum Opus, Porgy and Bess, is presented as an orchestral suite. There is no accounting for taste, and everyone will form their own view of this baroque-jazz interpretation of the tradition. But whatever your own personal preferences, this is an experience not to be missed.

Tracklist

George Gershwin (1898 – 1937)
01. Catfish Row (Suite from Porgy & Bess) [Arr. S. Bowen]: I. Catfish Row
02. Catfish Row (Suite from Porgy & Bess) [Arr. S. Bowen]: II. Porgy Sings
03. Catfish Row (Suite from Porgy & Bess) [Arr. S. Bowen]: III. Fugue
04. Catfish Row (Suite from Porgy & Bess) [Arr. S. Bowen]: IV. Hurricane
05. Catfish Row (Suite from Porgy & Bess) [Arr. S. Bowen]: V. Good Mornin’ Sistuh!
06. Porgy & Bess: Summertime
07. By Strauss (From “The Show Is On”)
08. An American in Paris
09. Porgy & Bess: The Man I Love
10. Porgy & Bess: My Man Is Gone Now
11. I Got Rhythm (From “Girl Crazy”)
12. Rhapsody in Blue (Arr. F. Grofé & P. Whiteman)

Personnel
Anima Eterna
Jos Van Immerseel, piano
Claron McFadden, soprano
Bart Van Caenegem, piano

Download:

mqs.link_AnimaEternaBruggeJsvanImmerseelGershwin20172496Qbuz.part1.rar
mqs.link_AnimaEternaBruggeJsvanImmerseelGershwin20172496Qbuz.part2.rar