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Sunday, June 30, 2013

André Previn - "Previn Plays The Piano" Vinyl 10" RCA




André Previn – Previn Plays The Piano
Vinyl, 10”, 1947
RCA Victor

When I hear this 10” I think of gin martini's which compared to Vodka martini's, they knock me out. There's a toxic aspect to composer André Previn's piano playing. Very intelligent, and I like the combination of Previn's piano with the guitar work by Al Viola in the song “Hallelujah.” Also the introduction to “Just One Of Those Things” is very percussive with the piano keys on one hand and the other he does a speed riff along with the electric guitar. I suspect this is Previn's first record and the way he handles these standards is from the viewpoint of youth. It has the freshness of the new, and it titters between be-bop and standard jazz. An odd tension between the old and the new.

What attracted me to this record is the 10” size as well as the cover. I am a sucker for 1940's album covers. One thing I notice is that album covers always convey the 'now' or whatever that decade is. There are of course some made now (and maybe then?) that is retro – like the Bryan Ferry Orchestra for instance, but mostly the graphics convey the year or the era quite honestly. 

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