Malinverni Plays Bernstein

Air Date:  1/30/2022  

Photo of Pete Malinverni by Susan Green

Do a search on Leonard Bernstein, and you will frequently see the word "genius" used within proximity of his name. Pianist and arranger Pete Malinverni tackles the works of this legend with his new release On the Town

But before we discuss the music, a word about Mr. Malinverni's engaging liner notes, in which he describes a chance meeting with Mr. Bernstein. Once the meeting ends, Mr. Malinverni's notes summarize the person he just met:

Leonard Bernstein, who lived up to the legend the night I met him.
 
One realizes upon reading the text that what was really legendary about the man was not merely that he was a prolific musical genius, but also that he was a good human being, not too full of himself to spend time with a fellow musician who is also a fan.

A musical genius Mr. Bernstein is, and Mr. Malinverni has taken the liberty of re-arranging melodies from On the Town, Wonderful Town and West Side Story. Songs that were originally written for horn section or full orchestra have been distilled down into arrangements for piano trio, with Mr. Malinverni on piano, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Jeff Hamilton.
 
We start off during hour two with Somewhere from West Side Story.  After a solo piano introduction, the song eases into a gentle swing, and then we hear Mr. Malinverni's thoughtful solo. It's heartwarming to hear a very pretty melody from a different point of view while still retaining all that prettiness.

Next up during the hour we hear Bernstein's Lonely Town, written for the 1944 musical On the Town. It struck me while listening to Mr. Malinverni's solo during this track, that I cannot recall off the top of my head where I might have heard a work by Leonard Bernstein performed with improvisation. Here we have solos from both piano and bass.

The final selection is Bernstein's It's Love from the 1953 musical Wonderful Town. This is a somewhat more uptempo number that swings just a bit harder than the prior tracks. The song ends with everyone trading fours.

This is a fine trio recording of the songs of an important artist. Bass and drums form a rock solid rhythm section here for Mr. Malinverni. The recording quality is very good. Each artist can be heard clearly and there is no reverb or other processing that is obvious. On The Town is perfect music for your Sunday morning.
 
You'll notice quite a few tracks just released in 2022 in today's show. There is so much great new jazz - it's ridiculous!

Best,

Marty

HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

Joe Farnsworth-City Of Sounds 2021-03 Ojos Cariñosos
Art Hirahara-Open Sky 2021-13 Nightfall
Kristin Callahan\Lost In a Dream 2021\Lost In a Dream
Doug Lofstrom\Music for Strings 2021\Music for Strings II
Steve Million\JazzWords 2021\Cold Wind
Nicholas Payton-Smoke Sessions 2021-04 No Lonely Nights
Armagos\Promises 2021\You Say
Emmet Cohen-Future Stride-05 Second Time Around-2021
Karen Marguth\Until 2021\Maureen
Jim Knapp Orchestra\It's-Not-Business-It's-Personal 2021\Gray Skies

HOUR TWO: New For You

Thomas Heflin\Morning Star 2022\Anna Breschine
Pete Malinverni\On the Town 2022\Somewhere
Yaron Gershovsky\Transitions 2022\Birthday Bash
Pete Malinverni\On the Town 2022\Lonely Town
Chiara Civello\Chansons 2021\I Will Wait for You
Susan Krebs With Mixed Remotions-Daybreak 2021-06 Listen Here
Marcos Ariel - Piano Blossoms 2021 - 01 -  Passionflower
Pete Malinverni\On the Town 2022\It's Love
Karen Marguth\Until 2021\Old Friends - Bookends
Chris Standring\Wonderful World 2021\Maxine

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World

Bossa Brasil and Mauricio De Souza Group-Here. There...Bossa Brasil 2010-04 Imagem
Mafalda Minnozzi\Sensorial 2020\Viva Sonhando
Art Hirahara-Open Sky 2021-10 Weathered The Storm
Miguel De Leon\Malandro 2020\A Volta Do Malandro
Pete Escovedo\Rhythm of the Night 2021\Mas Que Nada
Muiza Adnet-As canções de Moacir Santos 2007-03 Early morning love
Stacey Kent-Songs From Other Places 2021-09 Imagina
Rebecca Kilgore & Lyle Ritz-Bossa Style 2009-09 Once I Loved
Vinicius Cantuária-Vinicius Canta Antonio Carlos Jobim-12 Inútil paisagem 2015
Carlos Barbosa Lima-Johannes Tonio Kreusch\Manisero 202108 Cielito Lindo
Yaron Gershovsky\Transitions 2022\07 So Danço Samba feat Aubrey Johnson
Mafalda Minnozzi-CinemaCity 2021-07 Anonimo Veneziano
Susan Krebs\Simple Gifts 2015\So Many Stars

HOUR FOUR: Groove, Baby

Vincent Ingala - On The Move single
David Benoit - A Midnight Rendezvous single
Rick Braun\Feet First single
Chris Cortez\Hermanos 2022\Cortez-Williams Project - 07 Topaz
William Woods-The Hear and Now-08 Under My Skin 2006
The Sax Pack-Power of 3-05 Like Old Times 2015
The Jazz Crusaders-Happy Again-02 When You're So Far Away 1995
Richard Elliot\Authentic Life 2021\Move Ahead feat Rick Braun
Vincent Ingala\Fire And Desire 2021 - This Or That
Nicole Henry\TIME TO LOVE AGAIN. 2021\Overjoyed
Elena Maque\Feel Again 2021\Hey Friend
Matthew Whitaker-Connections 2021-13 It Will Be Okay
 

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