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Rating: Blind from a young age due to an illness, with a reserved character, and an originality of execution on the melodic lines and chords played with both hands, Lennie Tristano (1919-1978) is to be considered as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, heir and innovator of the piano lesson provided by another great of the piano: Art Tatum.
Born to a family of immigrants from Caserta (Aversa), musically raised during the bebop period, with previous studies on cello - clarinet - saxophone, and piano, but with a significant openness to 20th-century European music and the contents of the blues, he enriched the language of jazz becoming perhaps the highest exponent of the cool trend; a classification he himself opposed.
A precursor of the use of multi-tracks in the recording phase, he was also a talent scout and mentor for his musicians like Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh.
He is the composer of Requiem, which is one of the jazz pieces with one of the most beautiful improvisations in this music. Legend has it that it was composed in the fatal hours of Charlie Parker's death.
On the album considered here, released on his label (also a pioneer here) JazzRecords later managed by his daughter Carol, his quintet soars high, very high. Pure insights and improvisations flow fluidly across all tracks, whether they came from his pen or are standards.
The recording suffers from the technical means of the time, but remains quite enjoyable both in the original US vinyl version and in the CD transfer.
A small note: the city of Aversa has named a street after Lennie Tristano.
Lennie Tristano, piano
Warne Marsh, tenor saxophone
Lee Konitz, alto saxophone
Al Levitt, drums
Peter Ind, bass
1 Lennie's Pennies
2 317 East 32nd
3 You Go To My Head
4 April
5 Sound-Lee
6 Back Home
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