Later work from European pianist Eugen Cicero – an artist who first made
international waves by mixing classical tunes with jazz for a series of MPS/
Saba recordings in the 60s – then went on to create many overlooked albums of lyrical beauty in later decades! This set is definitely one of those gems – still very much in the "jazz meets classical" vein of his 60s hits, as it features improvisations on
melodies from Bach, Smetana, Mendelssoh, and other composers – but somehow coming across with a deeper sense of soul, and a sound that's awash in color and tone. Part of the strength of the set no doubt comes from the rhythm section – which features Americans John Clayton on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – and titles include "Caprice No 24", "Spinning Song In C Op 67 No 4", "Spring Song In A Op 62 No 6", "Cicero's Paraphrase In G Flat", and "The Moldeu".
(Part of the "Solid Records – Jazz Giants" series!)