2011-11-25
Israeli-born Alon Nechushtan studied jazz and big band piano at the Boston New England Conservatory under Bob Brookmeyer and Fred Hersch. All tracks on Words Beyond were composed by Alon and recorded in one session with François Moutin on bass and Dan Weiss on drums, stellar musicians in their own right. According to Alon, instrumental music must convey the narrative it deserves. The genesis of this debut album was Mendelssohn’s Lieder ohne Worter—songs without words—and based on an old Chinese poem “The Traveler” where ‘entranced, sets off to a journey beyond words spinning the clouds, from dusk til dawn unravels the divine masterplan.’ Recommended tracks: #1 uptempo “Muppet Shock;” you’ll get lost in the rhythmic patterns in #2 “A Different Kind of Morning” (love this!) and #5 “Spring Soul Song” highlights Moutin’s virtuosity on upright bass. Words Beyond is a masterful accomplishment of jazz enlightenment. --Pam VandeKerkhoffDON BYRON
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