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GG26 |
A solo piano gem by the still too little known Dutch pianist, featuring his quirky mix of styles ranging from his Baroque heroes Jan Sweelinck, Scarlatti and Bach, to Lennie Tristano and Bert Kaempfert. Janssen claims that he never really played jazz, but he clearly loves deconstructing its forms, "balancing on the edge of derailing" as he puts it. "Extrucage" toys with Tristano block-chords, while "Toe-Tapping Tune" is a blues. The baroque mannerisms of "Scarlatti Mix" intrude into "Bert Kaempfert Mix" – being unfamiliar with the works of the master of Lounge, I'm not sure which if any of them also figure. While these "Mixes" are deliberately frustrating when it comes to closure, the stride/boogie-woogie "In The End" is nothing but, out-Satieing Satie in its endless procession of endings. Musical humour of a high order by a genius of the postmodern. Andy Hamilton, The Wire | |
Guus
Janssen: piano
recording Marc Schots |
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