Piano Solo Live , the new Album by Claudio Vignali
After Rach Mode On, his first album with Rob Mazurek and Daniele Principato, where electronics and improvisation were the common thread of the project, Claudio Vignali returns to the limelight with a new work just released: Piano Solo Live , for the Encore Music label. A new album of unreleased songs and some standards, in a totally acoustic dimension.
Two internationally renowned artists, vibraphonist Joe Locke and trumpeter Tiger Okoshi , present the latest work by the pianist from Bologna. A musical journey in which traction and modernity come together.
An artistic universe where instinct, total improvisation, complex compositions, virtuosity and minimalism coexist in the service of music. A place where the sound material is shaped, broken down and recomposed, touching distant points, but connected in a single musical flow based on a total idea of music and pianism.
Joe Locke defines Claudio Vignali 's work as follows:
“Pianist Claudio Vignali draws a clear line through the prism of his art that connects the beauty and brilliance of Bach, Bird, Bill Evans and the blues. This collection of songs offers a sublime listening experience. It is overflowing with sophisticated musical content, and at the same time conveys great emotion. Listen to them with your brain and your heart: both will be rewarded.”
Joe Locke , New York / November 2023
Tiger Okoshi of the Berklee Music School also gives his opinion on the album and on the artist originally from Porretta Terme, who he describes as follows:
“My dear friend Claudio Vignali is a truly exceptional musician and human being.
His piano style expresses itself with an elegant, imaginative, emotional and innovative musical language, always fluently. The right hand and the left hand converse in an incredible and breathtaking way! He has all kinds of "X-Factors" and "Wows" in him. He is constantly searching and always projected towards the future.”
Tiger Okoshi, Boston/ October 2023
The songs start and take inspiration from the jazz tradition and project it into the future. The album features blues elements, reinterpreted jazz standards and a very elaborate polyrhythmic conception. This rhythmic conception often derives from contemporary classical music and from cycles deriving from the Indian tradition, which the pianist has had the opportunity to study in depth over the years.
Another fundamental element present in the album is the use of counterpoint, sometimes used in a classical way in a style that can recall Bach's music, but not only. In the compositions and solos of the pianist, in fact, there is a very modern and personal counterpoint, which is based on jazz harmonies and melodic sequences derived from contemporary music. The pianist's hands are conceived as two independent instruments that dialogue with each other through various styles that transcend time, passing from classical music to jazz, up to contemporary sounds.
The album also features harmonies that draw inspiration from impressionist music by composers such as Ravel and Debussy and from late-Romantic music, such as Rachmaninoff.
Tracklist
1. “Blue Fantasy” (C.Vignali)
2. “Inner Voice” (C.Vignali)
3. “Billie's Bounce” (C.Parker)
4. “Remembering Bill” (C.Vignali)
5. “Prelude” (C.Vignali)
6. “Impro on Bach Prelude n.21 in Bb Major WTC n.1 ” (JS Bach)
7. “The First Sublimation” (C.Vignali)
8. “Psycho” (B.Herrmann)
9. “Broken Toy” (J. Locke)
The songs on the album were recorded in various concerts held by Claudio Vignali , in Italy and Europe.
Tracks 1,3,6 Sala Filanda Motta (TV),– Track 4 SoloQui (TV), Track 5 Montreux Vevey September Musical, La nuit des Pianistes (CH) - Tracks 2, 7 Villa Smilea (PT) - Track 8 Teatro Comunale di Bologna (BO) - Track 9 Sala Polivalente Castel d'Aiano (BO).
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