Different Prelude: A Contemporary Collection

Different Prelude: A Contemporary Collection

As this disc's title suggests, none of the contemporary instrumental artists assembled for this project plays it straight with their selected classical selections, yet their imaginative efforts yield a respectful, tuneful, and peaceful retooling of works by Bach and Chopin (three each), plus pieces by Wagner, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Satie. Bassist-keyboardist Patrick O'Hearn takes the repeating cello passages from Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 and layers them atop a shimmering, softly pulsing electronic landscape. Violinist Charlie Bisharat, accompanied by guitarist Wayne Johnson, introduces flamenco-like brushstrokes to Chopin's Prelude No. 6 in B Minor. Pianist-keyboardist Philippe Saisse adds a jazz twist to a lovely, beguiling interpretation of Bach (No. 1 in C Minor). Trumpeter Chris Botti takes a George Gershwin composition (Prelude No. 2) and expresses it as a smoky, sultry mood piece. Dawn Atkinson, who produced A Different Mozart and has overseen many past Windham Hill compilations, also produces this project involving, among others, Windham Hill alumni. She debuts as an artist as well, putting an angelic, keyboard-based spin on Chopin's Prelude No. 20 in C Minor. A nice package. --Terry Wood

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