Julie Kurtzman, violin, and Pete Malinverni, piano - New York City Article

Julie Kurtzman, violin, &
Pete Malinverni, piano
Album release event and live (virtual) performance
Sunday November 15, 8:00

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The new release, Love in the Time of Cholera (the title is a Malinverni original inspired by a famous novel by Gabriel García Márquez - and perfectly fitting in terms of its relevance to the current state of the world) is an outstanding example of the possibilities open to classical musicians with an open mind regarding repertoire. Ms. Kurtzman and Mr. Malinverni includes a few selections from the traditional classical “songbook” (so to speak) but is much more centered on what could be described as a classical approach to unexpected works by composers of jazz and world music. There are two famous Argentine tangos, Piazzolla’s “Oblivion” and “Por una Cabeza” by the short-lived singer-composer Carlos Gastel, and a lovely, meditative rag by Scott Joplin (“Solace”). For us jazz folk, the primary treat is a rare performance of the five jazz chamber compositions by the legendary Bix Beiderbecke, only one of which was ever recorded by the composer himself. And the encore work is a transcription of one of the two or three most celebrated solos in jazz, Coleman Hawkins’s iconic 1939 improvisation on Johnny Green’s “Body and Soul,” here delivered as a highly exciting firework display for violin and piano. Many of us know that solo so well that we could all easily sing along with it, note for note, but at least this once I’d advise everyone to keep their mouths closed and just listen to what Ms. Kurtzman and Mr. Malinverni do with it - it’s like magic on top of other magic.