Marilyn Crispell - Vignettes

[GA Russell]

ECM will release a new Marilyn Crispell solo piano album called Vignettes April 22.

Crispell is one of those people whose name I have read fairly often over the years, but whose work I have never heard. Does anyone have an opinion of her?

She will go on a solo tour to support the album:

April 12 - Buffalo, NY - Hallwalls

April 25-27 - Concord, MA - Concord Free Public Library

April 29 - New York, NY - Birdland

May 16 - Baltimore - An Die Musik Live!

Edited March 28, 2008 by GA Russell

[GregK]

She was great with Braxton.

[Guest Bill Barton]

I like her playing a great deal. The only time that I've heard her in live performance was at FIMAV on the bill with Cecil Taylor and Paul Plimley. That concert was released under the title Complicité on Victo. It's a three-disc set. The Crispell and Cecil discs are solo piano. Plimley plays with saxophonist Jon Oswald. She was in a particularly introspective, probing mood that day and the set is lovely. Cecil's portion ranks, I think, among his finest solo efforts, up there in the rarefied country occupied by Silent Tongues and Indent.

Edited March 28, 2008 by Bill Barton

[A Lark Ascending]

Her ECM discs are glorious - impressionistic, very much in the mood of the label, a little abstract when compared with some of the bigger selling names there. Those who know her earlier work often find them less challenging. Being of a lyrical disposition, the ECMs work for me.

There are also two superb discs with Barry Guy and Paul Lytton on Intakt - 'Ithaca' and 'Odyssey'.

[Alexander Hawkins]

There's a great one called Live in Berlin IIRC, with Betsch, Kowald, and Billy Bang. Relatively early for Crispell, but she already has a clear take on Cecil Taylor's language in particular. I enjoy it a great deal.

[clifford_thornton]

I saw her in two gigs that weren't all that successful, but it wasn't her fault.

Have enjoyed her readings of Annette Peacock tunes and Amaryllis as well.

[papsrus]

Her ECM discs are glorious - impressionistic, very much in the mood of the label, a little abstract when compared with some of the bigger selling names there. Those who know her earlier work often find them less challenging. Being of a lyrical disposition, the ECMs work for me.

There are also two superb discs with Barry Guy and Paul Lytton on Intakt - 'Ithaca' and 'Odyssey'.

I recall you suggesting these two discs earlier and I'd forgotten about them. Thank you.

Crispell plays beautifully. Her earlier stuff is very much out of the Cecil Taylor school, I think. But as you describe, her later music is lyrical and more introspective. Adventurous, to be sure, but lovely. Aside from her energetic playing with the Braxton quartet, the much more subdued 'Storyteller' is the album that really opened my eyes (ears) to her playing.

[A Lark Ascending]

Her ECM discs are glorious - impressionistic, very much in the mood of the label, a little abstract when compared with some of the bigger selling names there. Those who know her earlier work often find them less challenging. Being of a lyrical disposition, the ECMs work for me.

There are also two superb discs with Barry Guy and Paul Lytton on Intakt - 'Ithaca' and 'Odyssey'.

I recall you suggesting these two discs earlier and I'd forgotten about them. Thank you.

Crispell plays beautifully. Her earlier stuff is very much out of the Cecil Taylor school, I think. But as you describe, her later music is lyrical and more introspective. Adventurous, to be sure, but lovely. Aside from her energetic playing with the Braxton quartet, the much more subdued 'Storyteller' is the album that really opened my eyes (ears) to her playing.

And thanks for reminding me of 'Storyteller' - just playing it after a very piano-y day and it sounds glowing.

I look forward to 'Vignettes' - unusually it appears in the UK a week after the US; ECMs usually go the other way. Probably to do with the tour.

[David Gitin]

Just heard from Marilyn. She has a busy schedule over the next few months, but she'll be in California in Jan/Feb of 2009!

Can't wait to see/hear her again.

[B. Goren.]

Anothet Crispell thread.

[GA Russell]

I see that Crispell's American tour starts tomorrow night. If anyone here gets to see her, I hope he/they will tell us what she was like.

[GA Russell]

Vignettes went on sale today in the US.

It's just Crispell on solo piano. It is very laid back, with her improvising on an hour's worth of songs that sound like classical music. I suspect that the album would sound more like jazz if there were bass and drums accompanying her.

I enjoy it. It's good for late at night, or else to have something playing in the house while you are doing something else besides listening to music.

I'm sorry that I won't have the opportunity to see her on tour. That would be something that would be a treat.

All in all, a very classy record.

[papsrus]

Vignettes went on sale today in the US.

It's just Crispell on solo piano. It is very laid back, with her improvising on an hour's worth of songs that sound like classical music. I suspect that the album would sound more like jazz if there were bass and drums accompanying her.

I enjoy it. It's good for late at night, or else to have something playing in the house while you are doing something else besides listening to music.

I'm sorry that I won't have the opportunity to see her on tour. That would be something that would be a treat.

All in all, a very classy record.

Thanks for your thoughts on that GA. It sounds like something I'd very much enjoy and it's been duly added to the list.

[Swinger]

I'm getting my copy of the album in next week. Can't wait!