Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun

Getting twenty fingers to work together is no easy task. However, the husband and wife team of Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes does a darn good job of making it work. Double Portrait is an album of piano duets, and when they take on Brazilian classics (a groove-less version of Jobim’s “Double Rainbow”) and standards (a tepid “Dancing in the Dark”), the result is enjoyable without being memorable.   However, their version of Rosnes’ composition “The Saros Cycle” is a shifting, entrancing number, as the pair alternate varying tempos and swap ideas as if they were one. “Inner Urge” is fiery and athletic, with plenty of speedy runs from the players. They close the CD with the ironically titled “Never Will I Marry”, showcasing their sense of timing and wit.