Seven extemporaneous improvisations,
played in an afternoon in July 2007, - an outstanding
performance of the historical New Yorker pianist Borah Bergman
in duo with bassist Giorgio Dini: after the released CDs with
Thomas Chapin, Anthony Braxton, Evan Parker, William Parker,
Hamid Drake and many other known names of the 'New Stream' of
world Jazz, the very first Borah's recording in duo with
double bass. You can't miss it.
The near-80 year old Brooklyn-born Borah Bergman is one of
the most singleminded and unique pianists in the history of
jazz. Crediting Bud Powell as well as Art Tatum's dexerity,
Teddy Wilson (with whom he briefly studied), Lennie Tristano's
hornlike phrasing, and Thelonious Monk's stride as his main
pianistic influences - he has consciously and uniquely
emphasized equality between his left and right hands
epitomized by frequent cross-handed playing. Influenced also
by chamber music and Bach, and Dixieland/New Orleans where all
of the instruments play contrapuntally and polyphonically,
Bergman has created a style which allows him to improvise
differently than any other pianist in the history of jazz.
Though he didn't play piano until he was in his 20s - he
was well into his 40s for his 1975 recording debut (Discovery,
Chiaroscuro Records) for which he played the same piano Earl
“Fatha" Hines had played and recorded on earlier that day in
the studio - Bergman has always been determined to create a
new way of playing. He spent several years teaching his left
hand to be able to play everything his right could play, which
for a while took the form of compositions and improvisations
entirely for the left hand. He was also inspired by the
example of John Coltrane's “Chasin' the Trane" to build a
style of great endurance, and by the music of Ornette Coleman,
and to have that style reflect a greater equality of its
parts. He has credited his parent's left-wing beliefs for
these ideas of equality inherent in his even-handed,
ambidextrous approach.
"Regularly hailed for his originality, Bergman
continues to forge a new pianistic path as a one-of-a-kind
pianist, composer and improviser whose originality lies in
his entirely personal approach and utilization of
left-handed and cross-handed techniques." ~ Laurence
Donohue-Greene, All About Jazz - New York.
Giorgio Dini has a tremendous depth to his knowledge and
experience of improvising, coming in contact with jazz masters
Percy Heath, Charlie Haden and Pierre Michelot in his youth
and subsequently immerging himself in renaissance, Arabic and
avant-garde music. This shows in the bassist's confidence, his
unbounded imagination and his singular approach, which draws
col legno wails, percussive flutters, microtonal slides and
heavy rounded bass notes from his instrument. (as reviewed by
Double Bassist nr.38).
