Juliet Kurtzman & Pete Malinverni: Candlelight: Love in the Time of Cholera
Saranac Records

Duets between jazz and classical musicians don't have to be oil-and-water propositions, as shown by this extremely rewarding collaboration by pianist Pete Malinverni and violinist Juliet Kurtzman. There are clear reasons why they blend so remarkably. As Malinverni himself notes, each complements the other: his approach, oriented around preparatory work used in service of performative spontaneity, contrasts with Kurtzman's, whose classical training emphasizes meticulous preparation crystallizing in fully realized renderings. In these pieces, both adjust their approaches, however slightly, by absorbing aspects of the other's playing.

Another key reason has to do with the set-list. While some of the dozen pieces might lean in a classical or jazz direction, most inhabit a comfortable middle-ground that brings out the best in each player. There's variety, too: in addition to Malinverni originals, pieces by Bix Beiderbecke, Astor Piazzolla, Scott Joplin, and Carlos Gardel appear, as does a version of “Body and Soul.” Kurtzman has a ravishing tone, and her clarity of articulation and command of pitch are a source of pleasure throughout. For his part, Malinverni enriches the performances with playing of equal quality, the pianist carefully to neither under- nor overplay.

Even if his name weren't attached to the piece, “Oblivion” would be identifiable as Piazzolla, given its languorous lilt and sinuous melodies, and the affection the duo have for the Tango Master is conveyed at every moment. Complementing it are two tango-influenced originals by the pianist, the first, “Pulcinella,” a lovely, salon-styled reverie that only the most cold-hearted could resist. Kurtzman's singing tone amplifies the sentimental tone but not, thankfully, cloyingly. Speaking of tango, the two dig into “Por Una Cabeza” with all the passion Gardel's dramatic material demands.

The first of four Beiderbecke treatments, the gently radiant “Candlelight” is more through-composed than some of the others but hardly suffers as a result. Kurtzman obviously isn't Grappelli, but her performance in Beiderbecke's “Davenport Blues” shows she's capable of swinging in a way that feels authentic. In fact, one of the best things about her playing is its looseness; her relaxed voicings in Jacob de Bandolim's “Doce de Coco” are totally in keeping with the spirit of the Brazilian choro composer's material.

December 2020