Sara Serpa & Ran Blake - Kitano Noir (2015)

The legendary pianist Ran Blake has long been known as a unique and eloquent stylist, his style ranging from the evocative to romantic to avant-garde. He is also known as a tremendous and supportive accompanist to vocalists. Sara Serpa is a vocalist of a much younger generation, who approaches the songs of the American songbook, music from her native Portugal, and her own original material with equal expertise. The duo has worked together since Serpa studied with Blake at the New England Conservatory. Together, they showcase their unique musical bond on Kitano Noir, a live recording from New York City s Kitano Jazz venue and their third release as a duo, the others recorded live in Boston and in Lisbon, Portugal. Here their advancement as a pair can be heard as they focus on well-rehearsed originals written by Blake, and intriguing standards.