“This new recording reunites conductor, orchestra and record label and adds a first-class soloist, saxophonist Timothy McAllister. “City Noir,” which gets some of its inspiration from movies like “Double Indemnity,” begins with hyperkinetic power shifting to ominous quiet and melancholy passages for McAllister’s soulful alto sax…performances are all superb…the jazz-filled Saxophone Concerto was written specifically for McAllister, and his performance, well-supported by Robertson,...
“Adams’s Saxophone Concerto was brought about by the stimulus of an extraordinary musician. Timothy McAllister’s seemingly effortless handling of the “City Noir” solos…determined Adams to write a concerto for him in that style…The playing of McAllister is a wonder to hear, and the performances by Robertson and company set the standard for these works…”
[Review: “Adams’ Concerto Saxophone Concerto gets astonishing performance”]
“John Adams’ Saxophone Concerto demonstrated that the instrument most often associated with jazz, blues and soul is perfectly capable of taking center stage on an orchestral program. Composed in 2013 for saxophonist Timothy McAllister, who premiered it last year with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and who served as Saturday’s excellent soloist, the 30-minute piece was exhilarating…the solo writing is...
“hypnotically swirling lines and propulsive rhythms…brilliantly performed by all concerned and recorded with life-like fidelity.”
“The world premiere ‘Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith)’ by the artiste etoile Tyshawn Sorey brings a meditative contrast. Together with the saxophonist Timothy McAllister, the musicians paint broad lines, delving into the mysteries of sound. The plucking strings are falling drops of water that always sound different. The mixture of bass clarinet, trombones, and string basses - a hum that resonates inside us.”
“…breathtaking and spectacular…a revolution displayed in the hands of an artist…”
“4 out of 5 stars–the saxophone concerto is playfully smoochy…Adams demonstrates how well he understands the instrument, and McAllister how well he can play it…”
