Solo Live
The late French pianist-composer Michel Petrucciani overcame the debilitating condition osteogenesis imperfecta--glass bones disease-- to become one of the most exciting musicians of his generation, as this 1998 live date from Frankfurt, Germany shows. At three feet and 50 pounds, Petrucciani had an elflike posture at the keyboard, an image that contrasted with his Herculean pianisms. Although he led a number of trios in his career and was a favorite of saxophonistCharles Lloydand drummerKenny Clarke, it was the solo piano format that best revealed his musicality. Petrucciani had the harmonic lushness and melodic inventiveness ofKeith Jarrettand the power ofMcCoy Tyner, as evidenced by his dancing waltzes "Looking Up" and "Rachid." His "Chloe Meets Gershwin" and "Romantic But Not Blue" evoke strong, walking bass lines, and "Home" paints a plaintive, ballad impression, while his "Trilogy (Morning Sun, Moon Sun and Night Sun in Blues)" is an impressive, episodic minisonata. His rendition of the Latin standard "Besame Mucho" recalls the beauty of the bolero, and the Duke Ellington-associated Juan Tizol classic "Caravan" rings with thundering harmonic hurricanes, stride rhythms, and habanera tinges. Petrucciani's riffs onBilly Strayhornin "She Did It Again/Take the A Train/She Did It Again," concludes this breathtaking but bittersweet document from this dearly departed genius.--Eugene Holley Jr.