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.

Matisse Fantasies
1. I. Femme assise en robe longue [7.24]
2. II. La Violoniste ŕ la fenętre [8.08]
3. III. La Danse [7.00]
Narek Arutyunian, clarinet · Michelle Ross, violin · Clarice Jensen, cello
Bruce Wolosoff, piano

4. Blues for the New Millennium [16.41]
5. Blue Mantra [8.43]

With all three works having been scored for clarinet, piano and varied strings, Wolosoff opens on Matisse Fantasies, and the veritably shimmering Femme assise en robe longue, the playfully flirtatious La Violoniste ŕ la fenętre and the affectively ambient, at times sternly atmospheric La Danse; and then we get the stridently sculpted, all embracing Blues for the New Millennium, the set rounding out on a stoically dulcet nature drawn from within the title track Blue Mantra.

Musicians:
Narek Arutyunian, clarinet · Deborah Buck, violin
Bruce Wolosoff, piano

Official Purchase Link

Bruce Wolosoff- Matisse Fantasy #3 “La Danse” [Official Video]

www.brucewolosoff.com