Description

Solo piano from stride to ragtime, from boogie to jazz and New Orleans

Name: David Arthur Skinner - Cubistic Boogie (CD)
SKU: WEEC664349
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7 (211 reviews)

Jazz is often categorised according to whether it is ”old” or ”new”. ”Old” jazz is
supposed to be historically authentic, and ”new” jazz is supposed to be
experimental and creative. But music history doesn”t have to go in a straight
line. A musician doesn”t always have to choose modern influences to create
original music, and modern ideas can be packaged in an older style.
Pianist David Arthur Skinner takes this approach in his second solo piano
recording, ”Cubistic Boogie”. Following on from ”Diagonal Jazz”, released on
Pling music in 2013, the music on this CD appears to be very traditional at
first glance, with classic jazz tunes such as Ain”t Misbehavin” and Caravan on
the menu. But a closer listen reveals that this is not an ”authentic” recording,
but rather something new. Skinner combines stylistic elements from disparate
sources, such as Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Pete Johnson, Alexander Scriabin,
and Bulgarian folk music, as well as inspiration from Picasso and Escher.
Rhythm and harmony are stretched and distorted in the manner of a
modernist, while the music retains a musical identity firmly within the classic
jazz tradition.
The result is an album with a wide emotional range, with moments that are
playful, sad, scary, surprising, confusing, absurd, melancholy and aggressive.
Skinner explores the old tradition of the solo jazz pianist as not only a
complete orchestra, but as a storyteller, in his own right.