Hopefully, this 2 disc set of the too soon departed pianist Michel Petrucianni (1962-99) will reignite interest in his relatively short career, as it was an interesting one. The French pianist had an elegant touch inspired by Bill Evans, but he took it to a more dramatic level, as this collection of his material from the 1990s reflects. It’s a great introduction to one of the more important latter day artists.
Petrucianni is captured here in a variety of settings, although the actual liner notes are not completely accurate, as I hear a rhythm section on his “solo” of “Hidden Joy”. His actual solo pieces such as “Looking Up”, “Love Letter” and the eleven minute journey of “Trilogy in Blois” are richly romantic and dynamic. He skates like Sonja Henie with an all start team of bassist Dave Holland and drummer Tony Williams supplemented by a string quartet on “Even Mice dance” and the wonderful “Charlie Brown” and his duets with B3er Eddy Louis on “Rachid” and “Guadalupe” are hipper than a hippo. Most enjoyable is when Steve Gadd is on the drums in a driving trio take of “September Second” and elegant latin sextet setting of “Colors” and a sensuous “Brazilian Like”. There are tributes in the liner notes by the likes of Gadd and Marcus Miller, making you wish this gentle man of a gentleman was still around, as we could use a musical shot in the arm now as he provided way back when.