The apotheosis of jazz’s high wire acts, the duet, is presented here by two masters, pianist Robert Kaddouch and bassist Gary Peacock on these two albums. The moods are similar, but the variant selections set them apart.
53rd Street emphasizes, but is not limited to jazz standards. The team intertwines on a hip “What Is This Thing Called Love” while going impressionistic on a liquid “Lover Man.” The team reveals the bop feel on the title track, and has some fun with the Christmas classic “Jingle Bells,” making Santa snap his fingers. The two go reflective on “A Foggy Day” while on traditional Jewish pieces “Ygdal” and “Ani Pourim” the piano and bass sigh and weave with thoughtful elegance. Enough form to let the freedom relate.
High Line is made up of seven originals, ranging from 2 to over 10 minutes. The moods change from song to song, with Kaddouch lurking on “Snowline” with a rich use of space on “Gary’s Line” and the easy and relaxed swing on “I Blues.” Some conversational interplay on the rich ”Skyline” and suave bop on “MS1014” make this a soft and sensuous pleasure.
Odradek Records