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Stewy Von Wattenwyl: Dienda
ByIn a review of my own early this year, I wrote that successful piano trio outings depended upon the musicians' ability to "get inside" the music. I left out that it's also necessary for the players to make the songsespecially the familiar standardstheir own. Von Wattenwyl and company are superb at this component of success, whether they're going after the Gershwins or Miles Davis ("Blue in Green"), or "My Favorite Things," or the title tune, "Dienda," written by the late pianist Kenny Kirkland; each song is imbued with the eloquent personality of the trio, with George Shearing's normally jaunty "Lullaby Of Birdland" given an oddly and beautifully introspective opening before it bounces into a brighter mode four minutes in.
Like many jazz pianists, Von Wattenwyl is classically trained, and he doesn't hold back or sandbag his prodigious technique, adding a compelling and assertive elegance to the familiar songs, and adding two very classic-sounding originals"Hold My Hand" and "Hellblau"to an excellent set.
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Track Listing
My Man's Gone Now, I Mean You, Hold My Hand, My Favorite Things, Blue in Green, Hellblau, My One and Only Love, Dienda, Lullaby in Birdland, Reflection, I'm Glad There Is You
Personnel
Stewy Von Wattenwyl--piano; Daniel Schlappi--bass (2,3,5 & 7); Reggie Johnson--bass (1,4,5,6,8 & 9); Tobias Friedli--drums
Album information
Title: Dienda | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Brambus Records
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