Alan Pasqua, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian - Ellingtonia (2024)

“Alan Pasqua: Ellingtonia” showcases Pasqua as an accomplished pianist who also shines as a composer. Pasqua puts together two groups of legendary artists, including NEA Jazz Masters Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, and Gary Bartz. It also features stellar performances from Michael and Randy Brecker, and Paul Motian. The artist’s exquisite performances and picturesque compositions impart a lasting and unforgettable impression. Here’s how Alan Pasqua describes his musical approach: “I wanted to take tradition and put my own stamp on it. I found myself going back to my roots in jazz, back to an earlier perspective on jazz, to the styles I grew up with musically, and then reshaping the traditions, embellishing them – finding my own voice, making a more modern statement. It was like taking one step backward to take two steps forward.”

The song “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” was dedicated to Pasqua’s daughter of the same name. It was written in 1875 by Thomas P Westendorf, and is based loosely on Mendelssonhn’s Violin Concerto in E Flat Minor. The song was famously covered by Elvis Presley.