While these two great pianists aren't appearing at the annual two-piano Steinway festival coming up at Pizza Express Jazz Club next month, Duo certainly whets the appetite again in terms of the art of the two-piano recording ahead of the annual festival. Both Michael Wollny and Joachim Kühn, who is 80 next month, have been on the issuing label ACT for years - Kühn is one of Europe's greatest pianist improvisers and Wollny, some 34 years younger, Germany's leading jazz pianist of his generation. Mostly originals plus a version of Ornette Coleman's 'Somewhere' there is also a tribute to Joachim's late brother Rolf, a piece that appeared on the excellent Komeda album last year. The most maximalist statement here is the thunderously free 'Aktiv' but that isn't completely characteristic of the album as a whole which contains a variety of approaches and is well stocked with tenderly intimate moments especially on 'Vienna Pitch' and the earlier sections of 'Eclat'. Beautifully recorded particularly well captured are the lower, darker tones of the Steinways used, what a must-have for fans of both musicians. Out today
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