Russian Peasant

Track Listings

1. With Your Heart in Mind

2. Slow Excavation

3. It's a Long, Long Winter

4. Forest of Blue

5. Russian Peasant

6. The Dream

7. Dance by the Sea

8. Blessing

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
ALAN PASQUA - BIOGRAPHY

A resident of Los Angeles, Pasqua began studying piano at the age of seven in his native New Jersey, playing both classical and jazz. He attended Indiana University and The New England Conservatory of Music, studying with Jaki Bayard, Thad Jones, George Russell and Gunther Schuller. He went on to produce two studio albums for Columbia Records with Allan Holdsworth and Tony Williams before moving to Los Angeles in the mid-seventies.

In Los Angeles, Pasquas reputation grew, and he played with numerous rock and pop artists such as Eddie Money, Bob Dylan, with whom he recorded and toured for several years, Santana, and many others including Pat Benatar, Joe Cocker, Ry Cooder, John Fogerty, Aretha Franklin, Sammy Hagar, Alan Holdsworth, Al Jarreau, Graham Nash, Teddy Pendergrass, Bob Seger, Patty Smyth, Rick Springfield, The Temptations, Joe Walsh, Dionne Warwick, Whitesnake and Phil Spector to name a few.

Pasqua has also had the opportunity to work on motion picture soundtracks with Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Quincy Jones, Henry Mancini, Maurice Jarre and Dave Grusin. Alan co-composed the award winning CBS Evening News Theme, which has aired nightly since 1987. Alan composed the film score for The Waterboy released by Touchstone Pictures in November 1998.

Pasqua has had two prior jazz releases Dedications and Milagro, of which Milagro recieved a four and a half star rating from Downbeat.

Russian Peasant is yet another stylistic departure for the versatile Pasqua, one that allows him to incorporate his interest in 20th Century classical music into a solo recital that also demonstrates his skill with popular song forms and jazz improvisation. As Pasqua explains, I didnt view these tunes (all of which were written by composer Roberta Feigenbaum) as traditional jazz pieces in the sense of their being the usual head-solo-head kinds of things. Instead, he says, I wanted to create free improvisations that were extensions of Robertas melodies, and Ive long been drawn to the Russian composers - Shastakovich, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, and their amazing melodic sense, romanticism and skill at reharmonization. Im not sure I consciously thought about those people and connections while I was recording these tunes, but I do know I saw my job as taking each one of Robertas pieces on a journey and having a deep and meaningful dialogue with it.

The music on Russian Peasant bridges the worlds of contemporary jazz, folk and classical, and incorporates sonorities from 20th century Amerca and 19th century eastern Europe. Its pieces are by turns rhapsodic and introspective, reflective and ebullient. In its rich textures and delicately complex meldings, Russian Peasant offers something for everyone.

Product Description
SOLO PIANO JAZZ

Russian Peasant,Alan Pasqua

Jazz Music: