Bruce Wolosoff: Blue Mantra

Summary:

“Wolosoff’s love of twentieth-century French music is sincere, not ironic, and his genuine affection for its intimacy and sensitivity to texture is evident in both the writing and performance… A major part of the recording’s appeal lies in the excellent performances by the pianist and his collaborators, but it’s as commendable for the originality of Wolosoff’s concept. Blues and jazz are inextricably bound together, but the practice of merging blues with classical chamber music is far less common and makes for a striking result.” – Textura

“Blue Mantra fills a void lying between the neoclassical ruminations of Max Richter and the more regimented music of Ludovico Einaudi. It is an enjoyable listen that does not require a Wagnerian attention span to enjoy.” – C Michael Bailey, Wild Mercury Rhythm

“…[listeners] will have no difficulty being absorbed into the worldview that Wolosoff creates … Wolosoff manages to create music that is engaging and enjoyable on its own terms … The CD not only provides interesting insights into Wolosoff as composer but … more importantly for a general audience – shows how well-crafted contemporary chamber music can reach out beyond a hardcore group of aficionados who would be attracted to material that is new for its own sake.” ★★★★- Mark Estren, Infodad.com

“Alongside Bruce’s formidable pianism is the virtuosity of his collaborators” - Anne Carlini, Exclusive magazine

Composer-pianist Bruce Wolosoff’s new album, Blue Mantra, engages in multiple dialogues – between music and visual art, between the blues and chamber music, and between various moments in his creative life. The three works on the album are scored for clarinet, piano and varied strings, and revel in bluesy lyricism alongside Bruce’s formidable pianism and the virtuosity of his collaborators.

Composer-pianist Bruce Wolosoff describes the essence of his new album, Blue Mantra, as an engagement in multiple dialogues – between music and visual art, between the blues and chamber music, and between various moments in his creative life. The title track was inspired by a painting of the same name by his artist-wife Margaret Garrett. Similarly, Matisse Fantasies arose from seeing a charcoal drawing by the celebrated French impressionist. Blues for the New Millennium, commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution to commemorate the turn of the century, expresses a “before” and “after”, and marked a turning point in Bruce’s compositional style as he embraced a more directly lyrical, melodic compositional voice.

All three works are scored for clarinet, piano and varied strings, and revel in bluesy lyricism. Alongside Bruce’s formidable pianism is the virtuosity of his collaborators: clarinettist Narek Arutyunian, violinists Deborah Buck and Michelle Ross, and cellist Clarice Jensen.