Philip Glass, Rhiannon Giddens, and Bill Frisell, all make us feel the tradition of American music strongly, despite the difference of their genres. We are strongly attracted by their music perhaps because they makes us feel they are the music of the day with robust roots.

#62 “Four Seasons” in 21^st Century without Feeling Any Difficulties in Modern Music

New Seasons (Glass; Part; Kancheli; Umebayashi) by Gidon Kremer
(Deutsche Grammophon 479 4817)

“Violin Concerto No. 2” was composed in 2009 by Philip Glass, an American composer active since the latter half of the 20^th century till now. Another piece subtitled “New Seasons,” which sounded like the developed violin concerto, was composed more than 20 years before the above piece describing the American four seasons expressively. Keeping the famous Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” in mind, it is the inspiring piece full of motivation to create the new 21^st century’s “Four Seasons” using the modern classical music method.

There is Cadenza-style violin part before each part, and it contains eight movements in total. It is the modern time “Four Seasons,” using tenaciously repeating simple phrases or rhythms, which is also called “Minimal Music.” The music sincerely played by Gidon Kremer is resolute and romantic, and the repetitive rhythmical motif sounds very lyrical. I believe it is one of the classical music masterpieces of 21^st century having absolutely no difficulty or excessively theoretical feature of modern music.

#63 Melancholy But Dignified Rhiannon Giddens’ Singing Voice

Tomorrow Is My Turn / Rhiannon Giddens
(Warner Music WPCR-17149)

Although the melody of “Tomorrow Is My Turn / Rhiannon Giddens” had been put in a corner of memory, when I listened to the singing voice of Rhiannon Giddens, I felt something deeply touched my heart. This is the title tune of Rhiannon Giddens’ solo album she recorded after setting herself apart from the folk group called “Carolina Chocolate Drops” she had been singing with. Charles Aznavour, a chanson singer who passed away the other day wrote this song, and there is also the album that he himself sings in English.

The one I thought I had listened to somewhere was Nina Simone’s version included in “I Put a Spell on You” Philips released in 1965, however, since the impression of <I Put a Spell on You> was so strong, this one was placed back in my memory. Such a song was sung by Rhiannon Giddens feelingly but strongly at the same time as if it was written for her. The expression by Rhiannon Giddens of Afro-American origin makes us feel hidden melancholy mood but also her dignity. There are also other pieces where an image of self-sustaining woman emerges, especially in the numbers sung by female singers of country music.

#64 Modern American Music Succeeding Great Traditions

Epistrophy / Bill Frisell~Thomas Morgan
(Universal Music ECM UCCE-1179)

The sound of guitar played by Bill Frisell is refreshing as a breeze. It brings back some sort of nostalgia, and at the same time provides comfortable inspiration to listeners. This is his serene duo album with the young bassist, Thomas Morgan. It was the live performance in 2016 at Village Vanguard, the famous club in New York, and since “Small Town” was released at the same time, this is considered as its sequel, but the densities of the contents of albums are not different. It seems simple but the expression full of lyric beauty with deep intelligence is exactly today’s American music succeeding great traditions.

<Epistrophy> sensitively rearranged Thelonious Monk’s melody. <Save the Last Dance for Me>, known as the hit by The Drifters, an American R&B Group, casually brings us profound tone. Although Frisell performs from Bop to Avant-garde freely, the essence of his playing style seems to be based on this type of deeply rooted American Music.