Sir Roland Hanna - A Gift From The Magi (1978)

Sir Roland Hanna was always a first rate pianist regardless of the specific mix of musicians, but his occasional solo albums are especially noteworthy. The 1978 sessions on this album for the long defunct West 54 are almost exclusively his own compositions; this is a real treat for his fans, since Hanna had relatively few opportunities to showcase a number of his own works on any single release. The music often reflects the influence of Impressionist composers such as Debussy and Ravel. The swirling nature and repeated motifs within "A Gift from the Magi" are magical, as is his spacious conception of Charlie Haden's "Silence." The superb sound also enhances Hanna's consistently brilliant performances on this somewhat difficult to find LP. © Ken Dryden