HEAR TODAY BROADBENT PERSPECTIVE.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Critic Noun 1. music critic - a critic of musical performances critic - a person who is professionally engaged in the analysis and interpretation of works of art Piano virtuoso Alan Broadbent is one of those musicians other musicians revere Revere, city (1990 pop. 42,786), Suffolk co., E Mass., a residential suburb of Boston, on Massachusetts Bay; settled c.1630, set off from Chelsea and named for Paul Revere 1871, inc. as a city 1914. . Dubbed by the All Music Guide ``an unsung hero of the acoustic piano,'' Broadbent worked on two orchestral albums with Diana Krall, serving as her musical director; was a member of Charlie Haden's film noir project Quartet West; and conducted the 52-piece Metropole Met´ro`pole n. 1. A metropolis. Orkest for Elvis Costello on the acclaimed ``My Flame Burns Blue'' album. Broadbent, a New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. native who lives in Los Angeles, has worked in bands led by Woody Herman, Nelson Riddle and Henry Mancini, and was a prime mover prime mover: see energy, sources of. Prime mover The component of a power plant that transforms energy from the thermal or the pressure form to the mechanical form. in Grammy Award-winning albums (winning the best arrangement honor in 1997 for the song ``When I Fall in Love'' by Natalie Cole and in 2000 for ``Lonely Town'' by Quartet West with Shirley Horn). As a solo artist, he's been twice Grammy- nominated for best instrumental solo -- on ``You and the Night and the Music'' and earlier this year for `` `Round Midnight.'' His latest effort is the gorgeous ``Every Time I Think of You'' (Artistry Music; $17.98), in which thoughtful string arrangements add weight to a set of 10 standards and originals. We reached the 59-year-old Broadbent -- who frequently plays at Spazio in Sherman Oaks -- to discuss his new record. < Q: What did you have in mind when composing these unusual string arrangements? A: It can be the most expressive of instruments. Usually, strings are used to sweeten sweet·en v. sweet·ened, sweet·en·ing, sweet·ens v.tr. 1. To make sweet or sweeter by adding sugar, honey, saccharin, or another sweet substance. 2. To make more pleasant or agreeable. songs with the chords playing in the background, but I like using them in the provocative way Stan Getz used them on his early '60s album ``Focus.'' Strings don't have to be syrupy; they can be exciting and emotional with a deeper purpose. Q: How is the Los Angeles jazz scene from the viewpoint of a working musician? A: Pretty bleak, actually. We all have to make our own scene. There's a whole cadre of musicians and listeners who take the music seriously and go out and support it, but it's a very hard life. And it takes guts. The problem is, there's little incentive these days for people who may not be deeply into jazz to go out and experience it for themselves. Q: Your version of Thelonious Monk's `` `Round Midnight'' was nominated for a Grammy and became a favorite of musicians. What was in your mind when you recorded it? A: It was how I was feeling at the time. I was thinking of Monk and the Manhattan skyline. It was an accumulation of things. Here's a sample of other new releases in stores this week: Sting interprets the music of John Dowland, one of the great Elizabethan composers, in ``Songs From the Labyrinth'' (Deutsche Grammophon; $18.98). Rod Stewart interprets the '70s and '80s songbook on ``Still the Same ... Great Rock Classics of Our Time'' (J-Records; $18.98). Among a spate of Christmas releases this week is ``James Taylor at Christmas'' (Sony; $18.98). Hilary Hahn delivers romantic violin showpieces in ``Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 1/ Spohr's Violin Concerto No. 8'' (Deutsche Grammophon; $16.98). The Lemony Snicket Snicket can refer to:
n. 1. A person or thing without equal. 2. See black medic. none ; $18.98). Also in stores: ``Take the Weather With You,'' Jimmy Buffett (RCA See RCA connector and video/TV history. ; $18.98) ``A Chorus Line,'' new Broadway cast recording (Sony; $18.98) ``Long Island Shores,'' Mindy Smith (Vanguard; $18.98) ``Hello Love,'' The Be Good Tanyas (Nettwerk; $15.98) ``Cool Yule,'' Bette Midler (Columbia; $18.98) ``Rotten Apple,'' Lloyd Banks (G-Unit; $13.98) ``Colorblind col·or·blind or col·or-blind adj. Partially or totally unable to distinguish certain colors. ,'' Robert Randolph (WEA WEA Weather WEA World Evangelical Alliance WEA Washington Education Association WEA Wilderness Education Association WEA Workers' Education Association WEA WebSphere Everyplace Access (IBM) WEA Wisconsin Education Association ; $18.98) ``Marie Antoinette,'' soundtrack (Verve Forecast; $17.99) ``Simply Anne-Sophie,'' Anne-Sophie Mutter (Deutsche Grammophon; $16.98) ``Still Searching,'' Senses Fail (Vagrant VAGRANT. Generally by the word vagrant is understood a person who lives idly without any settled home; but this definition is much enlarged by some statutes, and it includes those who refuse to work, or go about begging. See 1 Wils. R. 331; 5 East, R. 339: 8 T. R. 26. ; $18.98) ``Now Christmas Vol. 3,'' various (Strategic; $19.98) American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock (1980-86),'' various (Rhino; $15.98) CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) ``Strings don't have to be syrupy; they can be exciting and emotional with a deeper purpose,'' says pianist Alan Broadbent, whose latest work is ``Every Time I Think of You.'' (2) no caption (CD cover) |
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