Plays His Songs

A superb and unexpected song cycle, composed by the great pianist Dave Burrell and beautifully interpreted by singer and performer Leena Conquest. Burrell is one of the historical names in contemporary jazz. Known as one of the most innovative pianists from the mid sixties "new thing" era, Burrell has been a close collaborator of leading figures such as Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Sunny Murray and Marion Brown. In this set, more than in other contexts, Burrell's piano approach reveals, a deep connection with the great tradition of Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson and Duke Ellington. The soulful voice of Leena Conquest seems to be the perfect choice for such a romantic set of songs and lyrics by poet Monika Larsson. The album opens with "Teardrops for Jimmy" a beautiful dedication to Jimmy Garrison, and ends with "Crucificado", one of the best known among Burrell's compositions.