Salmon is a Jumpin’
John SALMON (b.1955)
Small Diamond [2:59]
Imitation Rock [4 :08]
Purcell’s Lament [6:46]
Scatitude [2:16]
Mari Pino [5:08]
Mambo Madness [3:55]
Des Abends [3:16]
Bossa Bachiana [4:12]
E.Y. ‘Yip’ HARBURG and Jay GORNEY
Fughetta on ‘Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?’ [3:53]
John SALMON
Blue Noon [3:21]
Congo [5:04]
Hugh C.C. SALMON (1883-1970)
Child’s Evening Prayer [5:05]
John SALMON
Very Larry [1:08]
Salmon Is A Jumpin’ [2:13]
John Salmon (piano)
rec. September-November 2009, Organ Hall, School of Music, University of North
Carolina at Greensboro, USA
ALBANY TROY1224 [53:30]
Including this disc in the classical review section of this site may seem
a bit odd, and this disc could have been categorised with the jazz releases
with as much ease and perhaps even more appropriately. This is not the entire
story with this recording however, and since there’s plenty of jazz
which has been assimilated into the ‘classical’ genre and innumerable
composers who integrate elements of jazz into their ‘classical’
work, readers can make up their own minds as to whether this recording should
go next to their Scott Joplin or their George Gershwin.
John Salmon is a highly versatile pianist, and he has been known to perform
both Beethoven and Dave Brubeck in the same concert programme. His association
with Dave Brubeck has borne musical fruit in recordings as well (see reviews
here
and here),
and he has been awarded a fellowship from the Beethoven Foundation/American
Pianists Association, won prizes such as the 1979 William Kapell and 1984
Busoni competitions, and holds Masters and Doctorate diplomas. The mixture
of classical and jazz results in a fusion of complex counterpoint and swinging
rhythms in potent numbers such as Imitation Rock in which he plays
a duet with his pre-recorded self, and the Fughetta on ‘Brother,
Can You Spare Dime’. Think of Alec Templeton’s ‘Bach
Goes to Town’ with extra zip and you might have some idea of what to
expect - jazz with a high degree of intelligence and an intensely witty use
of antiquated but still highly relevant compositional techniques. The miniature
Very Larry for instance is described as a ‘semi-bitonal blues’:
there are hardly any pieces here without some intellectual tease going on.
There are further nods to composers of the past with Purcell’s Lament
moving over a descending bass similar to “Dido’s Lament”
but moving via some superb right-hand extemporisation into an unexpected but
entirely ‘right’ feeling salsa section. Bossa Bachiana
is a combination of a Bach-style chorale and a bossa nova, drawing together
associations with Villa-Lobos, with Jacques Loussier and with MJQ. Another
chorale-like composition comes from John Salmon’s paternal grandfather
Hugh Cameron Campbell Salmon, whose Child’s Evening Prayer is
a simple but movingly beautiful little piece not too far removed from something
lyrical by Grieg. John Salmon compares his style to Edward MacDowell. Another
more ‘classical’ or serious piece is Des Abends, but the
two could hardly be more different, the latter starting out with a tonally
ambiguous nocturnal atmosphere, adding in wild Conlon Nancarrow runs, moving
through a ‘Rite of Spring’ ostinato, and referring briefly to
Schumann’s Op.12 Fantasiestücke, whence the title derives.
Further highlights include Mari Pino, a delightfully relaxed stride
number honouring the performer/composer’s wife, and Mambo Madness
which flies through the air in a 7/4 meter for which attempts to dance are
advised against. Scatitude also rolls with a compelling 5/4 meter,
the same beat as Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’ but entirely different
in terms of “scat, etude and attitude”. This nicely balanced and
varied programme ends with the title track, Salmon Is A Jumpin’
which the composer states “would have been grammatically incorrect if
referring to the fish. But, as an autobiographical comment, it is correct.”
Whatever the linguistics it’s a rollicking good number with which to
end the disc.
With good sonics, excellent music and superb playing this disc is self-recommending.
The only real question is; how much do you think you like jazz? I’m
looking for converts so take a taster at Youtube
and climb aboard.
Dominy Clements
Good sonics, excellent music and superb playing.