About this work:
The Lydian String Quartet and I were part of an American entourage in the Soviet Union during the fall of 1989. Their performances of my Morango ... Almost a Tango (1983) in Moscow, Kislovodsk, and Yerevan, were enthusiastically received by the Russians, Georgians and Armenians. Since then, the Quartet has performed Morango ... on numerous occasions all across the United States.
Seven Jazz Pieces (1990-1991) is my gift to the Lydian, a token of my appreciation for their dedication to the performance of new American music. The work, as indicated by the title, is in seven parts. Formally, the first, third, and last - respectively, the Prelude, Interlude, and Postlude ... all of which are quiet and meditative in mood - are like pillars that hold the whole work together, into place.
The inner sections consist of pieces inspired by and in homage to four influential and important jazz artists - a Be-bop theme in the style of Horace Silver, a jazz waltz à la Bill Evans, a bossa nova Antonio Carlos Jobim could've written, and a variation of a punk-funk groove Jaco Pastorius did with Weather Report. The whole structure looks like this:
I. Prelude: Meditative
II. Post-bop: To Horace Silver
III. Interlude: Chorale
IV. Jazz Waltz: To Bill Evans
V. Bossa Nova: To Antonio Carlos Jobim
VI. Punk funk: Thanks, Jaco ...
VII. Postlude: Prayer