AMG Review of Michel Petrucciani and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

Both pianist Michel Petrucciani and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen had considerable discographies and died far too young, Petrucciani in his mid-thirties and Pedersen at 58. Both men were virtuosos on their respective instruments, Petrucciani having played with a number of jazz greats in his all-too-brief career, while Pedersen began playing with visiting and expatriate Americans when only a teenager and especially made his mark in numerous recordings with the great Oscar Peterson. This performance at the Copenhagen Jazzhouse was unrehearsed and possibly the only time the two men played together, but their chemistry is immediate as they tackle a wide swath of standards and familiar jazz compositions. This is hardly a meeting where the bassist is merely accompanying the pianist; they engage in musical dialogues, frequently at a brisk tempo, and each interprets where the other is going in the performance, not an easy task for musicians not familiar with one another. Obvious highlights are the playful, tightrope-walking, and intricate take of Sonny Rollins' "Oleo," the spirited waltzing "Someday My Prince Will Come," the somewhat whimsical setting of "'Round Midnight," and the pulsing take of "Stella by Starlight" (a refreshing change from the typical straight ballad arrangement). It seems odd that this music remained unreleased for nearly 15 years after it was recorded, but this two-disc set is a perfect example of both musicians being very much at the top of their respective games.