TT 357: Piano Sonata Debut
And: more of the convo with Nate Chinen
I have always played sonatas, and now I’ve written one, which can be heard on my latest album, Technically Acceptable.
Seth Colter Walls described it well in The New York Times yesterday. (Gift link.)
Scrolling score videos! The Allegro Moderato is crunchy and driving:
The Andante has a lyrical atmosphere:
And the Rondo is frankly comic:
The Sonata is dedicated to the fabulous Yegor Shevtsov, who has advised me on piano mechanics. I owe Yegor a great deal. As I say in the liner notes, Yegor has helped me become more “technically acceptable.” (Watch Yegor perform James Newton’s “Looking Above, The Faith of Joseph” here.)
The first movement directs the pianist to play certain phrases like Wilbur Ware or James P. Johnson, the second Bobby Timmons, and the last Meade Lux Lewis. I believe this is the first piano sonata to suggest those names as references.
The second part of the Nate Chinen conversation — this time about jazz criticism — is up at The Gig. Nate calls me “a don of the discourse.” Put it on my tombstone, baby!
