Joan Enric Lluna - Jazz Impact: Hommage to Bernstein (2019) [Hi-Res]

Joan Enric Lluna writes of this release: “Leonard Bernstein has always loomed large among the musicians who have most fascinated me. Not only did he demonstrate huge vitality and charisma as a conductor, and compose the wonderful music that is his legacy, but he worked tirelessly as a communicator and “pedagogue”. His explanations of wide-ranging aspects of music to the viewers of his television programme for children, his lectures at Harvard University and his books have all been an enormous source of information. In recognition of the centenary of his birth, we dedicate to him this recording of his works for clarinet. At the same time, we pay homage to another musician whom I greatly admire - Benny Goodman - and include two other works directly linked to the theme of this album - the impact of jazz on Bernstein’s output. In “Lenny” (Bernstein’s nickname among his friends and collaborators), Oscar Navarro perfectly captures the spirit of the great master’s music. After playing in the première of his work for chamber group, I was so impressed that I asked Oscar for a version for clarinet. I am most grateful to Oscar for his efforts. The Kapustin Trio, originally for flute, elaborates on the impact of jazz on classical composition from a more contemporary perspective. In the years between Bernstein and Kapustin, rock, pop and other trends all made their mark, and their influence can likewise be heard in this trio. I was urged to make this version by my friends and collaborators Juan Carlos Garvayo and Paco Moya, and I hope listeners will appreciate how well it works with clarinet. I have changed various octaves, enhancing the music’s intensity, and translating the flute part to the specific “language” of the clarinet.”