Grey December: Live In Rome (CD) (Digi-Pak)

Grey December: Live in Rome captures Ran Blake on a recent European jaunt in December 2010. Although one of his albums was recorded in a movie theatre and another in a train station, this is Ran's first live concert recording in front of an audience in a proper venue. In a career spanning six decades, pianist/composer, writer and educator Blake has released 36 albums for such labels as ESP, RCA, Arista and hatOLOGY. His 2006 album for Tompkins Square, All That Is Tied, earned 4 stars in Downbeat and top honors in the Penguin Jazz Guide 2007. Driftwoods, released in 2009, was also heavily praised. Blake has created a unique niche in improvised music as an artist and educator. With a characteristic mix of spontaneous solos, modern classical tonalities, the great American Blues and Gospel traditions, and themes from classic Film Noir, Blake's singular sound has earned a dedicated following all over the world. His dual musical legacy also includes nearly 40 years as a groundbreaking educator.