Freefall

Duet albums are inherently tricky affairs. Without the added textures and colors of a full band, the minimalist dynamics of two instruments alone together can too often turn repetitious and stale, as the difficulty of generating sparks between two musicians turns into a disappointing experience for the listener. But there are exceptions, and happily, pianist Kenny Barron and violinist Regina Carter's Freefall is one of them. This is a wildly diverse set that shows off these two musicians' enormous talents to great effect. Freefall succeeds where other duet albums sometimes fail, thanks to its variety. Opening with the Afro-Cuban montuno-flavored version of "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise," the album moves through a delicate rendition of Sting's "Fragile," and a bluesy take on Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso," all of which showcase the two musicians' tremendous range. Barron and Carter complement each other perfectly throughout; their interplay even includes some interesting role-reversal moments where Carter backs Barron with rhythmic accompaniment on her violin. And Barron shows why he's still one of the most underappreciated pianists around. For all the pair's technical facility playing various jazz styles though, the high points of the album are undoubtedly on the tracks where they venture the furthest afield, as in the quirky Barron original "What If," and the improvised title track, both of which get into some interesting spaces that recall early 20th-century classical composers such as Bart?k and Stravinsky. --Ezra Gale more

Price Range:$13.99 to $17.99 | 3 stores
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Kenny Barron & Regina Carter, Audio CD, Buy.com, Best Buy, Tower.com

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title,desc	merchant	price	seeit
Smarter Choice Freefall Freefall	Buy.com 23,982 reviews *smarter certified	$13.99	See it
Freefall Track Listing: 1. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise, 2. Fragile, 3. Misterioso, 4. Phantoms, 5. What If?, 6. Squatty...	Best Buy 14,839 reviews *smarter certified	$17.99	See it
Freefall	Tower.com 96 reviews	$15.47	See it

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ProductReviews95/100 (14 Reviews)

Recent Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Feb-21-2006; Kenny Barron & Regina Carter; Great duo recording by two of the greatest jazz musicians in the world!; read full review | report as inappropriate

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jul-08-2005; Rather get the superb "People Time" (with Stan Getz); This was on the list of Down Beat's Album of the Year, which surprised me somewhat but is probably a reflection of the fact that 2001 was not a year of splendid jazz records. As a fan of Kenny Barron buying this record (at a reduced...; read full review | report as inappropriate

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Nov-06-2004; Simply Amazing!; Who would have thought - jazz violin?! This CD is just simply amazing. The combination of the piano and violin is breathtaking. Regina Carter and Kenny Baron are incredibly talented. This CD is a must have!; read full review | report as inappropriate

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Sep-24-2004; Complex and subtle, like fine wine; The music is alternately dreamy and startling. Always interesting and it gets better with repeated playings. Freefall is properly named! I think most of it must be improvisational, it is so spontaneously interactive. The talk between...; read full review | report as inappropriate

Selected Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Feb-21-2006; Kenny Barron & Regina Carter; Great duo recording by two of the greatest jazz musicians in the world!; read full review | report as inappropriate