An Impressive Recital
After Benjamim Taubkin (in 2010) and Philippe Baden Powell (also this year), Adventure Music invited pianist/composer Weber Iago for the third release in the series Piano Masters. Again an interesting choice since the pianist built up a solid reputation as an improviser. He recorded the album live in the studio with four tracks that were improvised on the spot.
Weber “Iago” Ribeiro Drummond (Rio de Janeiro, 1962) started to play the piano when he was only seven years old. He later studied classical music at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro where he received his Bachelor for piano performance (1985). He also studied composing for piano and chamber music. Meanwhile he gained an interest in jazz which made him decide to move to the USA in 1987. There he got involved in the local Jazz and Brazilian Music scene. Although Brazilian musicians are often expected to play bossa and samba when they’re in the US, Weber decided to follow a different road. He uses influences from jazz, European and classical music in his performance. Invitations from all over the world resulted in an even more international sound in his playing.
On this edition of Piano Masters Weber certainly doesn’t forget his Brazilian roots. With his talent to improvise, Weber often refers in a playful way to Brazilian music tradition during his performance. You listen to this album as a whole; it’s like a piano recital. The beautiful mix of jazz with classical influences gives the music a somewhat majestic character. An amazing technique allows Weber to converse with his listener through the piano. On “Mirrors,” which was a spontaneous improvisation, the pianist shows his ability to link diverged colors in one song. It’s built up against a steady left-hand motive that for a moment moves around in different forms across the range of the keyboard. That’s how the pianist gives the music freedom to wander around in emotions. It could be the story of this edition of Piano Masters. It’s also clear that Weber Iago feels very comfortable on the Fazioli piano, on which the music of the Piano Masters series is performed. His left hand uses all the advantages of the deep bass sound of this particular instrument (F228 Grand Piano).
The music is very interesting to listen to; once you’ve pushed the “play” button you’ll listen until the music stops. It makes us look forward to the next edition in the Piano Masters Series!
ALBUM INFORMATION
Weber Iago
Piano Masters Series, Vol. 3
Adventure Music AM1071 2 (2012)
Time: 54’01”
Tracks:
All tracks by Weber Iago (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 9 are improvisations)
- True Colors
- Stairway to Us
- It Dawned on Me
- Mirrors
- Merci mon Frère
- Happiness Is a Choice
- From I to Z
- Praise
- Carmela
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