This marks the return of the gifted guitarist and though it has some very bright moments, there are longeurs as well. That's because Jordan's propensity to let his technique run ahead of the emotional content of his music is still intact and because
some of the pieces nudge towards "smooth jazz" territory. That said, there's some fine jazz here. A Place in Space is full of Jordan's dazzling runs and he scores highly on All Blues and Song For My Father. And you can't help but admire a musician who plays guitar and piano simultaneously. AV
Ken Peplowski/Jesper Thilo: Happy Together (Nagel Heyer) £13.99Here's a slice of top quality mainstream which brings together that fine tenorman and clarinettist Ken Peplowski with a musical soulmate, the veteran Dane Jesper Thilo.
Their cheerful, freewheeling approach to a bunch of standards is less a cutting contest than an animated conversation. The highlight is the clarinet joust on The World is Waiting for the Sunrise, but Peplowski also shines on I Want to be Happy. Thilo's on fine form as well and his work on the opening Vignette and closing Centerpiece is appealingly gutsy. AV
Brahms: String Quartets/Piano Quintet Harmonia Mundi HMI 987074.75 (2CDs) £22.99Buy this and you will never need another recording of the Brahms string quartets. The pure elegance of the playing from the young Quartetto Casals comes from the care for the overall sound and the balance between instruments. Their technical fluency allows the music to emerge with a warm romanticism They are joined by the pianist, Claudio Martinez Mehner, who integrates with the strings to an unusual degree and brings a new slant on the Quintet. DD
Myaskovsky: Symphonies 23 & 24 Alto ALC1024 £6.99This disc completes the first recording of the entire symphonies of Nikolai Myaskovsky. Never a modernist, these wartime symphonies are mostly lyrical in content spiced with some unexpected orchestral colours.
Though the 24th was in memory of departed friends, dramatic elements are sparingly applied.
Conductor, Evgeny Svetlanov, has been the caring and devoted guide to such sadly neglected works. Very good playing and pleasing sound quality. DD
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