This 1995 concert represents one of Tete Montoliu's last recordings prior to his death in 1997. What's unusual about this CD is that it is not a solo or trio date, but one with a sextet, which includes drummer Winard Harper, trumpeter Philip Harper, flugelhornist Danny Harper, tenor saxophonist Stephen Riley, and bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa. The blind pianist is in terrific form, particularly in "Muntaner 83 A," his thinly disguised reworking of the standard "On Green Dolphin Street," and his blues-drenched "T'estimo Tant," which showcases Riley. Though the remaining tracks aren't at all familiar, they also bring out the best in the band.
One of the best collections of Indian Vocal Music ever. Some rare and hard to find tracks and musicians are included in this very large disc set - 14 discs in total. The inlays within the pack provide song track details as well as the history of each musician. For anyone wishing to gain an insight into the Classical tradition, this is one of the best collections to start with. Saregama is proud to present this premium pact of 14 CDs that is a labor of respect and adulation. Comprising of vocal music spread over 108 years. The next step was to then select the 100 artistes featured herein over 135 tracks, their Gharanas their Gayakis and the Guru Shishya Parampara imbibed by them. This pack gives connoisseurs a glimpse of the creativity of performing artistes their methodologies their thinking patterns and how & why their signature styles also been artistes of repute with a prowess of their own.
An outstanding veteran pianist from Spain, Tete Montoliu was born blind. He learned to read music in Braille when he was seven and developed impressive technique on piano. He recorded with Lionel Hampton in 1956, had his first session as a leader in 1958, and played with the touring Roland Kirk in 1963. Through the years, he also worked with such visiting Americans as Kenny Dorham, Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster, Lucky Thompson, and even Anthony Braxton. Tete Montoliu's visits to the U.S. were very infrequent, but his SteepleChase albums (starting in 1971) are generally available; he also cut one date for Contemporary (1979) and recorded for Enja and Soul Note.