I've had the pleasure of encountering the music of Greek pianist Tania Giannouli on several occasions. This is the first time she has appeared on her own. Those previous performances were with two unique constellations with very special line-ups. The last one was a trio with trumpet and oud, an unusual combination that suggests that Giannouli is a musician who isn't constrained by traditional formats or ideas. We're talking about someone with a truly original voice, which is made abundantly clear on SOLO, her first album of solo piano improvisations. Over the course of seventy-one minutes spread over twenty-four compositions, she presents an impressive mixture of focused originality and virtuosity.
Giannouli is a melodist of the highest calibre. Her music occasionally recalls Ketil Bjørnstad's universe for me. Of course, they have very different voices, but their individual temperaments and dynamics of expression are similarly evocative. Both are unique artists who share stories that are credible and personal. Giannouli invites us into a sound world that is richly nuanced and exciting, compelling listeners to come back to it again and again and....