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Two very different CD’s both featuring the Piano. The first from Laurence Hobgood has four originals together with some lesser known works means the first listening is by no means enough. The second from Chris Anderson – a name that was new to me – has seven tracks all known to me so it’s all down to interpretation.

Laurence Hobgood Trio  Crazy World  naimcd 084

Ten tracks in a trio format with a guest vocalist on two tracks. Track 6 More Than You Know is the best known to me and along with track 9 Endless Stars a Fred Hersch composition both feature Kurt Elling as the guest vocalist.

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Four tracks Revival, Prayer for the Enemy, Trinity and Windowman are all Laurence Hobgood originals. All these are trio works but feature heavily Laurence Hobgood on piano. Rob Amster on Bass and Frank Parker on Drums provide the backing.

Rob Amster’s March to Epiphany is track 4, with When In Rome from Coleman-Leigh at track 3, The Dreaded Symphony at track 7 from Edward Peterson. Track 8 is from Henry Mancini called Crazy World.

The last track Windowman is also the longest at over 14 minutes is really the only chance for bass and drums to get a look in.

Overall this is close to 67 minutes of pure relaxation, absolutely great after a long hard day, disconnect the phone and melt into the sofa.

Chris Anderson  From The Heart  naimcd035 

This is a very different offering. All the tracks are well known or even standards. So interpretation is everything. In a way this is harder to evaluate as most of us know how we prefer a track to sound. These tracks were recorder in 1998 and reading the notes I see that 2006 will be the 80^th anniversary of his birth. Certainly I would not have thought this music was played by a 72 year old until I heard him sing.

Here’s That Rainy Day never really gets out of second gear and while Just Friends is a little more sprightly I have certainly heard many interpretations taken at a faster pace. By the time Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year plays you know the style will be slow and quite involved, you need to listen to follow the melody. In Love In Vain does nothing to detour my thoughts even when he sings, the problem any solo artist has is that the melody, the rhythm, the whole thing is down to only one.

The longest track There’s a Lull in My Life is also the least well known, here the pace is almost funereal. That leaves I Wished on the Moon a little more upbeat but still one of the slowest versions I know, and, Come Sunday hardly a rousing finale to a live recording.

Certainly not an instant hit, by the third listening I was getting into it but it is certainly a CD that needs time and involvement. From the naim-audio site they are £12.98 each.

Link http://www.naim-audio.com/music/contemporary.html and take your pick from the alphabetical artist listings.