Review Summary: Two men showing us a bit of who they are...
Contrary to what one might infer from the constant gushing about the perfection of
Program Music I combined with the lack of mention of anything else he’s ever done, Kashiwa Daisuke didn’t immediately drop dead in a heap after finishing his work clutching his finished masterpiece against his chest only for it to be discovered months later and posthumously released to the world, he’s still alive and continuing to produce some downright gorgeous music. With recent releases the man has shown a predilection towards the soft, serene tones of his delicate piano playing and shied away from his glitchy, electronica infused classical sound to some great results. This latest split sees Daisuke working with his gypsy counterpart Koby Israelite, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist in his own right, in composing two piano driven pieces of very different styles.
“Solitude” has Israelite’s heritage dripping from every note. The twinkling piano works very well with Israelite’s accordion and creates something I can only describe as a very Jewish vibe throughout the piece. The pacing is slow and deliberate, with the piano dancing over the top of a myriad of strings, percussion and accordion until with about a minute to go, the song breaks into a sort of Jewish waltz. This outro lies in stark contrast to the rest of the song but really showcases Israelite’s ability to channel himself through his music.
Daisuke’s contribution, “Jazz Pour Une Infante Defunte” (Jazz For A Late Infant) is a toe-tapping jazz piece and shows a side of the man we’ve never seen before. With the rumble of a stand-up bass filling out the background and some technical jazz drumming throughout, the piece sounds strikingly similar to something up-and-coming jazz darlings BADBADNOTGOOD would write. Even with the poppy feel and the complete lack of identity people come to expect from Daisuke, “Jazz Pour Une Infante Defunte” has just as much of the artist’s soul infused in it as “Solitude” has of Israelite.
Unfortunately, an artist releasing something to the caliber of
Program Music I is a double edged sword. Sure it’s a master class piece of work and is rightly revered as such, but people tend to ignore anything the artist worked on before and everything after. This split is the work of two men showing a bit of who they are through their skills with the piano, one of the many instruments both of them play and while it's not going to shatter any concepts about music, the men accomplish their goal beautifully. Remember, a piece that is less than perfect still means it can be pretty damn good.
