A few years ago, pianist Markus Burger impressed me on a trio session with drummer Peter Erskine and bassist Bob Magnusson on a collection of “Alaska Sessions”. This time around, Burger goes solo and travels to Vienna, bringing together a collection of 16 self-penned tunes that exude the romance, lyricism and melodic heart of the town that gave us Mozart.
His pace is always stately and patient, chiming with sparkles on “Morning Mist” and tender during “Renaissance Romance”. There’s a meditative feel to the parlor’d “Café’ Mozart” and a delicate trickle to “Along The Creek”. He strums the strings for the folksy “Dulcimer” and adds some effects to “Daybreak” and “Silent Lament” to frame the atmosphere. The ivories yearn on “O Great Love” and get nostalgic during “An Afternoon In Vienna”. Burger’s fingers stroll like a Sunday afternoon in the plaza.