CD Review: Roberta Piket - Sides, Colors

Some people describe music in terms of colors. Composers like Duke Ellington used them in song titles like "Black , Brown And Beige," "Black And Tan Fantasy" and "Mood Indigo," to describe the mood and feeling of his music,
Sides, Colors is a perfect title for this release by pianist Roberta Piket , as she demonstrates her different musical sides and colors. Piket shows her classical, lyrical side on "Billy's Ballad" and Bill Evans "Laurie," while the classical feel is accentuated by the addition of clarinet, flute and strings—a concept similar to Esperanza Spalding's Chamber Music Society (Heads Up, 2010).

Piket's avant-garde side is shown in the more adventurous "Shmear" and "Ugly Beautiful." Both sides, classical and avant-garde, are present on Sam Rivers' "My Friends and Neighbors." Piket even sings and does some nice scattting on Rodgers and Hammerstein's "If I Loved You"

"Relent," and the funky groove of "Degree Absolute," shows yet another side of Piket's music, this time venturing into jazz fusion. Whatever the style, Piket always displays a good harmonic, melodic and rhythmic balance in her playing and improvisations. Piket is a creative pianist, arranger and composer who likes to experiment with different textures, moods and colors in her arrangements and compositions. All the arrangements on Sides, Colors are by Piket, except "Billy's Ballad," arranged by drummer/percussionist Billy Mintz. Sides, Colors also includes two Piket originals, "Degree Absolute" and "Empty House," a beautiful ballad that effectively transmits a feeling of emptiness.

Track Listing: Laurie; Make Someone Happy; Billy's Ballad; My Friends and Neighbors; If I Loved You; Empty House; Shmear; Idy's Song and Dance (Song); Idy's Song and Dance (Dance); Relent; Ugly Beautiful; Degree Absolute.

Personnel: Roberta Piket: piano (1-7, 9-12), electric piano (8), organ (10,12), vocal (5). Johannes Weidenmueller: bass (1-5, 7-9, 11,12). Billy Mintz: drums, percussion (12). David Smith: trumpet, flugelhorn (1, 3, 4, 6). Charles Pillow: clarinet, bass clarinet, flute (1, 3-6). Anders Bostrom: flute, alto flute (1, 3-6). Sam Sadigursky: clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone (3-6). Fung Chern Hwei: violin (1, 3-5). Mikyung Kim: violin (1, 3-5). Charisa Rouse: viola (1, 3-5). Jeremy Harman: (1, 3-5).