JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO — Baroque Favorites (2001) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Jacques Loussier has spent most of his career blending jazz and classical styles into a lightly swinging and highly melodic hybrid. He is most well-known for tackling Bach, but here he covers a range of Baroque composers. Loussier, bassist Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac, and drummer Andre Arpino play pieces by Handel, Pachabel, Scarlatti, Marcello, Albinoni, and Marias. Loussier has a very light touch and the trio is laid-back, never distracting from the melodies. You can hear the influence of Dave Brubeck in Loussier's playing (especially on Marais' "La Sonnerie de Sainte-Geneviève du Mont"), and much like Brubeck's best work, there is a strong sense of warmth and intelligence on Baroque Favorites. The only complaint one might have is that the brevity of some of the songs breaks up the flow of the record. Nevertheless, Baroque Favorites is a very nice album. Tim Sendra
Tracklist :
Suite for keyboard (Suite de piece), Vol.2, No.4 in D minor, HWV 437 2:16
1 Theme and Variation No. 1
George Frederick Handel
2 Variation No. 2 1:36
George Frederick Handel
3 Variation No. 3 1:33
George Frederick Handel
4 Variation No. 4 0:42
George Frederick Handel
5 La Sonnerie de Sainte Geneviève du Mont à Paris, for violin, viola da gamba & continuo in D minor 5:37
Marin Marais
6 Sonata for keyboard in B minor, K. 87 (L. 33) 4:55
Domenico Scarlatti
7 Sonata for keyboard in F sharp minor, K. 67 (L. 32) 1:30
Domenico Scarlatti
8 Largo in F major, instrumental arrangement ("Ombra mai fu" from the opera Serse) 3:21
George Frederick Handel
9 Canon in D major, instrumental arrangement 3:39
Johann Pachelbel
Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in D minor, SF. 935 (often transposed to C minor)
10 Andante e spiccato 2:32
Alessandro Marcello
11 Adagio 2:23
Alessandro Marcello
12 Presto 3:09
Alessandro Marcello
13 Adagio 4:33
Tomaso Albinoni
Work(s)
14 [Unspecified] Concerto in F major for organ 4:08
George Frederick Handel
15 [Unspecified] Concerto in F major for organ 5:15
George Frederick Handel
16 [Unspecified] Concerto in F major for organ 2:39
George Frederick Handel
17 [Unspecified] Concerto in F major for organ 4:25
George Frederick Handel
18 [Unspecified] Concerto in F major for organ 3:48
George Frederick Handel
Credits :
Piano, Arranged By – Jacques Loussier
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac
Cover [Image: "Angel with inscription INRI from the Cross" (1669)] – Bernini
Drums – Andre Arpino