It is widely believed that Stravinsky is one of the most beloved classical composers of the 20th century by jazzmen. The new album only fixes him in this status. Jazz, funk, hip-hop, techno – he’s not afraid of anything a truly versatile performer. A hereditary musician in the fourth generation, Sholar has, over thirty years of his career, played with a huge number of outstanding people on both sides of the Atlantic – from Marcus Belgrave and Roy Hargrove to Q-Tip and Moritz von Oswald. This story is amazing to say the least, especially in light of Sholar’s background and the circumstances of the album’s creation. “ Detroit pianist and composer Kelvin Sholar recorded an album of jazz interpretations of Igor Stravinsky’s music, referring to the most famous works of the classics – the ballets “The Rite of Spring” and “The Firebird”. ILYA RASSKAZOV / MUSIC JOURNALIST – DJ / JAZZIST / J/ four 1/2 stars I have brought another track from the album: “Sacrificial Dance A.”. All of that is deeply embedded in the multi-crafted and excellently arranged structures where Classical, Jazz and Electronic are combined and throughly transcended. For fifteen years he worked on the vision, and through tragic events a ground was laid to bring Stravinsky’s music much closer – a heart attack among other things, by which Sholar was clinically dead and revived. Like Stravinsky, in “Rites Of Fire” Sholar transcends stylistic borders. The first time he heard Stravinsky’s music, it was clear that the only borders in music were in the limitations of imagination thought. Sholar has a very deep connection to Stravinsky. The record is titled ‘Rites Of Fire”, and it gives direct clues to what inspired Sholar – Igor Stravinsky and two of his works: “The Rite Of Spring” and “The Firebird Suite”. “Infernal Dance Of King Kaschei” and “Ritual Action Of The Ancestors”), from the new album of the trio of pianist and composer Kelvin Sholar. ILKA GEYER / Radio Host / WDR / February 17, 2021 WEBER: “A different version of Stravinsky’s Firebird is The Firebird’s Variation played from the Kelvin Sholar Trio: a whole album of the trio, around the pianist Kelvin Sholar, with recompositions of Stravinsky’s work, with the name Rites Of Fire, is released on Kasmavtsu Music.” For Sholar, the message is that music is a universal and eternal language.” So, in these versions from the Kelvin Sholar Trio, (which were expanded by the Techno pioneer Carl Craig, and the alto saxophonist Greg Osby), in these versions the musicians tell us a story that started before human civilization and has persisted through hundreds of years to reach us with their timeless message. But it’s not a fantasy or improvisation on the originals of Stravinsky nor a cover with different instruments playing- that would be way too short of a description. WEBER: “And, does Sholar do that himself? What is HIS vision?”īAUREITHEL: “His new album is called Rites Of Fire, and that was put together from Rite Of Spring and Firebird, so it’s based on two ballets of Stravinsky: Sacre du Printemps (Rite Of Spring) and The Firebird Suite. Igor Stravinsky dared to present a vision, said Sholar. And this, (along with melodic, harmonic and rhythmic freedom and multimedia), are things that were overlooked in Western European music. For example, Stravinsky combines folklore, ritual, mysticism, dance and primitivism. WEBER: “But, what in particular does Sholar think is so fascinating about Stravinsky’s music?”īAUREITHEL: “He likes the mixing of different influences. Then he just pressed on play on the cd player, and Sholar says his life has not been the same ever since.” Sholar’s teacher said something about Stravinsky being revolutionary and important- he still remembers that. With eighteen, he listened to Stravinsky’s music for the first time, at his music theory course in college. The Afro-American Kelvin Sholar is Pianist, Composer and Band Leader he is known to step over musical barriers, and he is a big Stravinsky fan. (Music).”īAUREITHEL: “Yes, you can still hear the original introduction from Stravinsky’s “Sacre du Printemps”. But, now you first have a new album with the title The Path Of Life.Īnd at the end for today, in the New Release Music Magazine, we have music from Igor Stravinsky in new ways. And then Elisabeth, you still have Jazz und Igor Stravinsky with you- I’m looking forward to how Stravinsky finds himself on this journey. Relative to that, Elisabeth Baureithel has brought us a book about the bandoneon and the journey of this instrument around the world. WEBER: “ New release: different paths of life are being followed now in our new releases. MORITZ WEBER / ELISABETH BAUREITHEL / Radio Hosts / SRF / April 3, 2021
2 Comments
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |