Personnel: Uri Caine (piano, fortepiano); Uri Caine; David Moss , Josefine Lindstrand, Mark Ledford, Barbara Walker (vocals); Michael Freimuth (lute); Mark Feldman , Joyce Hammann (violin); Rodney Prada (tenor viola); Erik Friedlander (cello); Dominic Cortese (accordion); Cordula Breuer (soprano recorder); Chris Speed (clarinet); David Binney (alto saxophone); Ralph Alessi (trumpet); Josh Roseman (trombone); Bob Stewart (tuba); David Gilmore, Nguy?n L? (guitar); Don Byron (clarinet); Greg Osby (alto saxophone); Ralph Peterson (drums); DJ Logic, DJ Olive (turntables); Kettwiger Bach Ensemble.
Pianist Uri Caine balances both veneration and delicate wit in taking on the giants of the Western European classical tradition, namely J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Verdi, Schumann, and Wagner. THE CLASSICAL VARIATIONS collects a cross-section of tracks from Caine's previous like-themed discs on Winter & Winter, along with 11 previously unreleased tracks. Caine both deconstructs and re-constructs themes and aspects of selected pieces from the canon, maintaining their innate beauty and brilliance while transporting them to entirely new places. Best of all, Caine does this without ever being ponderous or frivolous.
Professional Reviews
JazzTimes (p.92) - "In the unreleased material, alongside the hip-hop, we hear the intimacy of period instruments: two new Goldberg Variations for fortepiano and viola de gamba quartet."
