AMG Review of Art

Heather Phares
All Music Guide

Jazz pianist Nando Michelin's Art takes a very literal approach to its title: each of the album's nine tracks namechecks a style of art or artist. From the reflective, piano-based "Nude" to the Latin-tinged "Gaugin," Michelin leads his quintet through evocative statements that are sophisticated without being overly smooth. "Joan Miro" is appropriately wiry and surreal in homage to the famous Spanish painter, while "Marc Chagall" mixes flowing sax lines and complex percussion. Tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi shines on tracks like "Picasso in Blue" and "Henri Matisse." Each track reflects the artistry not only of the feted artists, but of the Michelin Quintet as well.