Claude Bolling - Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio

Accompaniment CD

By Claude Bolling

I'm SO glad this CD was put together for play-along of this musical suite that should be in every flautist's repertoire, regardless of experience level. I played most movements many years ago while in college and was thrilled that this CD was offered for listening and playing...

. It's just not that fun practicing this music by yourself, but practicing along with professional musicians is so enjoyable! The quality of musicianship is awesome and I love the fact that the accompaniment has just a whisper of the flute for a 'safety net.' Another great buy...

Very well put together sheet music for the determined player.

I was excited to purchase this accompaniment CD for my daughter, who has been working on the second movement for a college audition. She had been practicing it with the Rampal recording in the background prior to purchasing this. It's true what someone else said about the fact that...

you can hear the flute part being played. However, it's so quiet it is not a distraction. What is difficult, at least for the second movement, is that it is too fast! Significantly faster than the Rampal recording. It made it impossible for my daughter to play the fast parts, and in my opinion, it doesn't sound as nice that fast--it loses some of its musicality.

The music is wonderful, and this is the reason why I purchased the play along CD, but it has some problems. I have been an amateaur flute and sax player for 30 yrs, and learned to play this piece listening to a vinil LP, when it was opriginaly released. This...

is not the original recording featuring Bolling and Rampal. Although the trasncription is accurate, the flute player is inexpressive and has a poor sound. Bassist and drummer sometimes makes me feel this is a Band-in-a-Box acompaniement. A great part of the enjoyment of playing this wonderful suite is lost because of the poor performance of the trio. It can be used to learn how to play the notes, but if you want to performe this piece as expressively as it deserves, the trio will not help. Besides that, the flute can be heard on the playalong tracks.

This is a wonderful, creative, jazzy, buzzy suite for classical flute and jazz trio. Sweet and funky, and altogether magic!