For The World by Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara

 

For the World

By

Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

For the World by Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara is a huge body of work of some 19 tracks of flute and piano by a trio of quality musicians who have brought the world a glorious triumphant collection of great works for us all to enjoy and bathe in. This musical voyage of our planet is a tip of the hat to all that is good, artistic and pleasant about our home, expressing creativity and artistry in abundance, it is an inspirational sanctuary.

This melodic journey starts with Ashokan Farewell which is a modern American folk composition that sounds like a 19th-century lament and written by Jay Ungar in 1982, despite the description of the piece being somewhat a song of loss and longing, I found the refrain and its Celtic influences fluent, and played with delightful warmth and reflection.

The trio involved in this oasis of work are Steve Markoff on alto flute, he is known for his creativity and warm interpretive arrangements, Patricia Lazzara, flute, a multi-award winning soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and the journeyman Dave Malyszko, soloist, accompanist, and ensemble member on piano, a man who has performed with some of the biggest stars in the business.

Textures of tone and timbre come in abundance with tracks like the beautiful Bakit Pa a heartfelt Filipino ballad, one that with rising flute raises the energies of the listener, and at times strangely reminded me of the Roberta Flack song Killing Me Softly, clearly I have been in the music business for too long! Then Bang Chhun Hong which seemed familiar to me, then I remembered my old friend Tim Wheater and all made sense, with its classical flute timbre.

Native American Suite was an incredibly poignant composition, inspired by the original culture, its crisp piano performance was incredibly well performed in a symbiotic presentation with both flautists, in what to me was a landmark arrangement from the album.

The depth of tone and flute in Belarussia is a piece that pays grand homage to its cultural roots, in an almost regal processional styled offering. Tracks like Canadian Railroad Trilogy, a celebrated folk song originally written and performed by Gordon Lightfoot, released, let’s just say too many decades ago, here the trio bring an extra quality of lightness to the overall narrative of the composition.

Dreaming in blue and yellow is a track I know very well, having written a review for it a couple of years ago by British-American composer Michael Hoppé, a man who has created wondrous compositions with the aforementioned flautist Tim Wheater, here on this track Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara manifest something equally as touching as Michaels original lament for the plight of the Ukrainian people.

As soon as I say El Condor Pasa most people will no doubt spark Simon & Garfunkel who made this inspirational creation popular in 1970, however this is a superb rendition, one that leads us hand in hand to one of my favourite pieces, the quite ambient in its inception, The old years, however this track soon morphs into something more rag styled in an almost Ian Anderson way, in one of the most exciting creations from the release without doubt.

I always listen to any album in its entirety at least once before I even attempt to write, when listening to this collection of beautiful tunes, I came across a piece I remembered from my school days called Scarborough Fair, and was also once again popularized by Simon & Garfunkel in the 1960s, however this beautiful piece can be dated back as far as perhaps even the 17^th century, in my view this has to be one of the best modern instrumental versions I have heard, all artists in total balance and harmony with this quite breath taking rendition.

We have the short form narrative of My Father Is an Appenzell to entertain us with its bright and jolly refrain, whilst Japanese Suite gives us a flavour of the Far East with its sultry and meditative tonal delights. This is followed by another large offering of music which we can refer to now as Suite of Israeli Songs, Yoav Talmi’s original suite is moving and powerful, and this cultural tip of the hat originally composed in ‘67 is given the five star treatment from the artists, and one so good I found it quite emotive to listen to at times.

The dramatic tones of Calikusu were brought to life some 550 miles north of my home in Paphos, Cyprus, in the location of Sivas in Turkey, way back in ‘86 by composer Esin Engin, it isn’t surprising to me that this is a piece that has a very deep emotional core, and a powerful and compelling melody, whilst offerings like The Homes of Donegal, where the locational aspect is obvious, the performance on flute is quite remarkable and uplifting, and also deeply soulful.

Danse Espagnola was the very epitome of the saying a horse of a different colour, and one inspired by traditional Spanish music and dance forms. However the very next piece will take the listener back to the 70’s in the best way possible with an iconic version of the legendary band Abba’s I Have A Dream, a huge hit single, and taken from there equally iconic Voulez-Vous album, here the trio of Steve Markoff, Patricia Lazzara and Dave Malyszko, gift us a memory box of fluent beauty.

The penultimate offering from the album is entitled The One That You Love, one may remember back in the early years of hair rock, a band called Air Supply, so this is that reference you seek and you can scratch your head no longer, as we take you back to ‘81 with a fine instrumental version, one that contains a sublime piano performance by Malyszko in this classic ballad.

Sadly we have come to the end of our journey and we do so by closing out with the mournful Shenandoah, this is a smart last composition, leaving the listeners with something truly anthem styled, I seem to recall a deep and emotional version of this song  by Paul Robeson back in the day.

For the World by Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara is every instrumental fans musical panacea; there can be no doubt that there is something truly engaging and palpable about this album. The performances within it are sublime moments of perfection, and as such I fully expect this to make the top of the charts with consummate ease.