[Editor's Note: The cover art featured is for the first volume in the set.]

The inimitable keyboardist Evan Shinners, who some people know as WTF Bach, packs three volumes of his J.S. Bach, 10 year project, into these four discs that recruit the baroque ideas and place them into his very modern approach.

Disc 1, Five Early Suites, showcases Shinners' fluid and agile fingers across the warm and diverse selections, where “Overture In G Minor, BWV 822” is particularly melodic and memorable.

Original Compositions For Lute follows, and presents both firm and soft gestures, where much beauty resides, as the keys unfold with strong attention to mood. “Suite In E Minor, BWV 996”, at the end of this disc, is particularly luminous, thanks to the quick progressions which are very much appreciated.

Disc 3, Misc. Preludes And Fugues Part One, my favorite portion, carries a very bright tone, especially on stand out tracks such as “Fugue In A Minor, BWV 959”, where the flowing musicianship comes with a timeless appeal.

The final disc is the Performer's Commentary, which is pretty interesting, actually. Shinners goes over the ins and outs of the songs and the techniques employed. Even someone like myself, who knows nothing about the history or instruments, was very much intrigued with the narration of each track.

A significant undertaking, Shinners plans on recording all of Bach's compositions on the keyboard. Included in the projected 24 volumes will be selections with piano, harpsichord, clavichord, organ and Yamaha's Reface and TransAcoustic keyboards. This will unfold over a decade's time.

Shinners' interest in Bach has produced a podcast (The WTF Bach Podcast), several temporary concert halls where he plays Bach for free, daily and, of course, this recorded output that puts his Juilliard School education and thriving mind to great use.

Rating: A-

User Rating: Not Yet Rated

Comments