Gonzalo Rubalcaba / Pierrick Pédron

Their album »Pédron/Rubalcaba« would be a revelation even if it had come to life under more conventional circumstances. Besides delighting in the beautiful music the two make together, one cannot help but be astonished at how seemingly unconditional the musical intimacy between them was. The recording session was certainly well prepared, with the material tailored in arrangements to the diverse ranges of the two performers. What emerged in sound terms is certainly anything but run of the mill.

Rubalcaba is a world-famous pianist from Cuba who brings all the ingredients that make a great master. Four Grammys bear witness to this. Pédron, who grew up in a village in Brittany, does not yet have such a big name for himself. He has long been one of the best saxophonists in France however, though he limits himself entirely to the alto saxophone.

On their debut album, these two sensitive virtuosos traverse jazz history in eight stages, from Sidney Bechet to Carla Bley, and each number is more profound and perfect than the last. The season could hardly end on a more beautifully note than with this duo for the »Jazz Piano« series, which features a particularly high-calibre line-up this season.