Nigel Kennedy - Classic Kennedy (1999)

In Ms Minogue's garish book of weird and wonderful portraits of herself, Kylie, there is one which stands out: it is a simple and beautiful picture of a violin. It turns out that Kennedy has called his violin "Kylie", and so it was deemed worthy of a place in the book. This in-yer-face silliness could go either way, and translate into a trashy populist crossover approach to music--or be the mark of someone who genuinely wants to break down musical barriers and make waves. This album of short concert items proves it to be the latter, for each of the pieces included is not only played with phenomenal stylistic accuracy but with intelligence and wit too. From Bach to Joni Mitchell by way of Gershwin, the pieces spring into life under his fingers. Even the hackneyed chestnuts (Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Monti's Czardas) feel as if you haven't heard them before--and as if the English Chamber Orchestra haven't played them before, which is a real achievement. Also included are his own arrangements of some folk songs, and one of his own compositions: vaguely Riverdancey in style but with more bite and less blandness. A treat. -- Warwick Thompson