King of Luxembourg

Can't believe it's taken me a week to post about the fantastic performance from keyboardist Francesco Tristano Schlimé last Friday night at Carnegie Hall's "Weill" room. Francesco is a very rare kind of talent - able to play and record with the likes of the Russian National Orchestra and Carl Craig without missing a beat. He plays classical like a proper classical man should but he LOVES Techno and plays that too.

Born in 1981 in Luxembourg and currently resident in Barcelona, Francesco studied at the Juilliard School - his Carnegie appearance came about after he was selected by the European Concert Halls Organization as one of their 'Rising Stars' for a series of concerts that have seen him in New York, Birmingham and Stockholm.

Here's what his selection was for the gig -
BERIO: Cinque variazioni
FRESCOBALDI: Toccata in A Minor, "per l'organo da sonarsi alla levatione," No. 4, from Il secondo libro...
FRESCOBALDI: Toccata in F Major, No. 11, from Toccate e partite d'intavolatura di cimbalo…libro primo
FRESCOBALDI: Toccata in F Major, No. 9, from Il secondo libro...
BACH: French Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major, BWV 815
CARL CRAIG: Technology (adapted Francesco Tristano Schlimé)
JUSTIN MESSINA: NYTectonics: 4 City Bridges (NY Premiere)
HAYDN: Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:48
BERIO: Wasserklavier
FRANCESCO T. SCHLIMÉ: Nach Wasser, noch Erde (Improvisation)
+ encore
FRANCESCO T. SCHLIMÉ: The Melody

Obviously for me the Craig was a highlight - "oceanic" is how I would describe it. Francesco says his approach to doing the composition was "not aiming literally to transcribe the different layers of the piece for piano; rather, I intend to make a sort of 'acoustic remix.' Taking the original elements from the piece, transforming them pianistically, and altering the structure are all part of this organic process. Technology then becomes a work in progress that exists well beyond the genre commonly known as Detroit techno."

BRAVO !! A mention should also go out to Brooklyn based composer Justin Messina for his intriguing new work.

Look out for the US release of Francesco's album "Not For Piano" this month on Sunnyside - it features his interpretations of Jeff Mills' "The Bells," Derrick May's "Strings of Life," and his upcoming single "The Melody" (which has just been remixed by Carl Craig and Ed from Plaid). More on Francesco at his website . He is next in New York performing an all classical bill for Bargemusic on Friday February 22 in a duo with Johnny Gandelsman on Violin. That performance will see him perform Luis Prado Suite for Violin and Piano, Justin Messina Tango Music, Janácek Sonata for Violin and Piano and Pärt's Fratres. To wrap up here's some great videos of him in action

Francesco performing "Strings of Life"



EPK for solo record "Not For Piano"


Murcof and Tristano collaboration