Dan Rose - Last Night & New Leaves

Dan Rose - Last Night - Ride Symbol Records

Dan Rose & Claudine François - New Leaves - Ride Symbol Records

Guitarist Dan Rose is heard on an album of solo guitar interpretations of standards and an album of duets with a longtime musical friend, French pianist Claudine François. Rose has a long career going back to regularly playing with Paul Bley and being part of the New York loft scene. Living in Europe for several years, he met Ms. François, and they recorded a duo album for Enja, one of several projects Rose recorded for Enja. His varied career has had him perform and record with Perry Robinson, Jay Clayton, Billy Hart, Thomas Chapin, Arthur Blythe, Rashied Ali, John Abercrombie, Connie Crothers, Eric Reed, Steve Turre, Cyrus Chestnutt, and many others. Claudine François was classically trained before becoming interested in jazz. She has formed a free jazz ensemble and composed for theater and dance. Her ensembles have included Jim Pepper and Jane Burnett, and she has worked in groups with Marion Brown, Hamid Drake, Lee Konitz, and others. 

"Last Night" is a recording of considerable allure. Rose states he has long wanted to do a solo album, and while initially, he intended to do original compositions, but when he began playing, the songs heard emerged. They are familiar songs like "Body and Soul," "Darn That Dream," "Tenderly," "What's New," "If I Loved You," and "Moonlight in Vermont." There is an Ellington Medley of "Prelude to a Kiss," 'Things Ain't What They Used To Be," and "Sophisticated Lady," along with another medley of "Guess I'll hang My Tears To Cry," Detour Ahead," and "Dreamsville." With a beautiful tone and a clean, precise attack, we are treated to renditions built upon the lyrics of these classic songs. Rose has provided us with an exquisite solo guitar recording.

Rose brings this same warm tone and guitar styling to the musical conversations with pianist François with whom he has played with for thirty years. "The New Leaf" is an original he wrote with her in mind and is a lovely ballad with her measured solo following his guitar solo with her use of block chords as he comps with soft chords. It is followed by one of the standout performances here, their bouncy rendition of "Monk's Dream." Other standout performances include the light Latin-tinged "Lady in Mercedes" and François' "Le Desert," with her rumbling and then dreamy introduction. This is followed by Rose's thoughtful, spare pinched note solo. There is playfulness in the duo's handling of Horace Silver's "Senor Blues." Another intriguing performance is François' "Mr. Slaint," a tribute to Steve Lacy and a composition with a touch of Monk, whose music was a significant inspiration to Lacy. Life Rose's solo album, this album of duets, is full of performances of charm and considerable appeal.

I received review copies from a publicist. Here is a performance from Dan Rose & Claudine François in 2013.