Carol Lian: On Freedom

• Artist: Carol Lian
• Rating:
• Release Date: 2001 04
• Total Time: 42:44
• Genre: Jazz

Review

Carol Lian prefers to be known as a classical pianist, and a good one she is. But she has a way of lurking around the jazz medium. Before this performance, Lian had joined jazz drummer Ronnie Bedford for two important improvisational CDs for piano and percussion, released in 1992 and 1994, respectively. This undertaking defies the generally accepted principle that classical music is not open to major extemporization. While there are some "standard" classical pieces by Frédéric Chopin, much of the album has her creating music as she plays. The major piece, the seven-part "The Seven Last Words of Christ," is not George Frideric Handel's brilliant oratorio, but rather Lian's personalized pianistic explication of Christ's parting instructions from the cross to the faithful for both his and generations to come. Lian engages in further freelance performing as she explores major human emotions and aspirations with "On Joy and Sorrow" and "On Freedom." Aside from the Chopin, Lian's exposition of the material has a modern bent to it, such as her jagged harmonics on "Epilogue." Although musically enterprising and offering many pleasant discoveries, little of the music on this CD resembles rhythms listeners generally associate with mainstream or free jazz, except perhaps for the close to avant-garde on "Father, Into Thy Hands I Commend My Spirit." What's heard here leans quite heavily on the classical side of the ledger, but still will be attractive to those who hear classical forms in some of the modern jazz being composed and played. The Chopin is nice, too. ~ Dave Nathan, Rovi

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