Paris / Alison Balsom

Album cover art for upc 825646327898
Label: Warner Classics
Catalog: 2564632789
Format: CD

Alison Balsom

L1 Nuages, for guitar - Django Reinhardt & Alison Balsom (4:16) 2 Autumn Leaves (Les feuilles mortes), for voice & piano - Joseph Kosma & Alison Balsom (5:00) 3 Piano Concerto in G major: 2. Adagio assai - Maurice Ravel & Alison Balsom (8:25) 4 Regards (20) sur l'Enfant-Jésus, for piano, I/27: Modéré - Olivier Messiaen & Alison Balsom (2:59) 5 Regards (20) sur l'Enfant-Jésus, for piano, I/27: Modéré - Olivier Messiaen & Alison Balsom (2:03) 6 Regards (20) sur l'Enfant-Jésus, for piano, I/27: Très lent, calme - Olivier Messiaen & Alison Balsom (5:44) 7 La valse des Lilas (Once upon a summertime) - Michel Legrand & Alison Balsom (3:32) 8 Oblivion, tango - Astor Piazzolla & Alison Balsom (4:08) 9 L'histoire du tango, tango cycle for flute & guitar - Astor Piazzolla & Alison Balsom (7:08)

An ‘astonishing virtuosa’ (The Times) with ‘limitless potential’ (The Guardian), Alison Balsom is a multi-faceted trumpet player involved in a broad range of musical projects. The pieces on this collection inhabit a common Parisian musical world, but the voices that emerge from them are incredibly varied. From Ravel to Reinhardt, Balsom illustrates the flexibility and expressiveness of her instrument, supported by the orchestra of jazz composer and trumpeter Guy Barker. One of today’s most in-demand classical music personalities, English trumpeter and BBC Proms darling Alison Balsom shares her love of Paris on this new solo album. After becoming the first British woman to win Gramophone Magazine’s prestigious Artist of the Year award, Alison brings her glamour, poise and dazzling virtuosity to Paris with a selection of music written in and inspired by the most romantic city in the world. This album marks a major departure for Alison Balsom from the core classical repertoire, with which she has established her distinguished recording and performing career to date, to a crossover album, taking inspiration from a number of different artists and influences. The concept of the album is Paris as seen by artists and composers as diverse as Olivier Messiaen, Astor Piazzolla, Django Rheinardt and Cole Porter. In collaboration with Guy Barker – a trumpeter who has worked with the biggest names in the business, and with a solid reputation in the jazz world – Alison reinterprets the greatest music written about in and about Paris. With guest artists Miloš Karadaglić, and Julian Ovenden on a bonus track available on iTunes, this album is sure to position Alison amongst the top-selling classical artists with mainstream appeal and broad recognition.

Price: $19.98