Podcast 187 - A Conversation with Bruce Barth

Bruce Barth and Steve Wilson’s new live duo CD, Home,  has some of the finest improvisation and close coordination between musicians I’ve heard in a long time, Barth, a veteran of Terence Blanchard’s band, has been broadening his horizons over the past few years, so it was a pleasure to check in with the piano player last week. Click here for Podcast 187, which features a conversation with Barth, where he talks about his close relationship with saxophonist Wilson, who has been a member of Bath’s jam sessions and gigs since he arrived in New York a decade ago. Barth continues to work in different musical configurations, working on  an expansion of his “East and West” song cycle for septet, and preparing to record a live trio album in the fall. Among the musical selections featured are:   Bruce Barth and Steve Wilson – “Blues Interruptus” from Home. Just as the title suggests, it’s a blues progression interrupted by other blues statements in different tempos, allowing Barth and Wilson to improvise on the theme.   Bruce Barth and Steve Wilson – “The Ways of the West” from Home. Bart continues to tinker wit the songs from his East and West CD. Originally recorded with a quintet, here he re-imagines a piece for duo with great success. Look for a recording of his septet version in the near future.   Rene Marie – “Red Shoes” from Serene Renegade. Barth has worked extensively with this talented singer, producing and doing audio production on this 2004 release. Backing Miss Marie on her composition that opens the CD are Takana Miyamota on piano, Herman Burney on bass, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, and Quentin Baxter on drums.   Terence Blanchard – “I Cover the Waterfront” from The Billie Holiday Songbook. Barth was behind the piano for Blanchard’s bands in the Nineties. Here the group covers a standard associated with Lady Day, Blanchard on trumpet, Barth on piano, Chris Thomas on bass and Troy Davis on drums.