A Winner: Green Edge Sky, Green Edge Sun
May 23 2011

In some ways, his email signature line says it all:

Mark Kieswetter (key-sweater)
keyboards, all styles, almost
Jazz mostly

Concise. Precise. Communicative. Wry. Stylish.

Add musical, and you have Mark Kieswetter.

Originally from the U.S., Mark settled in Toronto a few years ago. He brought with him a command of music and the piano that showed, but did not shout, its authority. Having served for years as music director for jazz Olympian Jon Hendricks, Mark had experience as well as talent.

The Pianobabbler first heard Mark accompanying singers. Mark maintained a measured stage presence. This optic misled the Pianobabbler into thinking he'd be hearing a flaccid accompanist. Oh no. Subtle, yes. Musical, yes. Moving and exciting, yes. Graceful, yes. Harmonically rich, yes. Driving, yes. Flaccid, never.

Ross MacIntyre. Bass player. Ross- with whom the Pianobabbler has the frequent good fortune to perform -has an uncommonly wide musical range. He can swing. He can groove. He can rock. He can roll over Beethoven. In a city crawling with world-class bassists, Toronto, Ross stands with the best of them.

For a few years now, Mark and Ross have been playing as a duo. Talk about Yin meeting Yang. Fred and Barney. Peanut butter and jam. Hand and glove. There lives and breathes a musical simpatico between the two that ranks them among the best piano/bass duos the Pianobabbler has ever enjoyed.

Good news, then. Mark and Ross have just released a CD. Green Edge Sky, Green Edge Sun. It captures their elegant magic. Their pulse. Their creativity. Their blend.

The Pianobabbler has been listening to this terrific recording with great pleasure. I have no doubt I'll be listening to it for a long time to come with equal, and increasing, pleasure.

The song list mixes creative arrangements of jazz standards, with originals and lesser known tunes. The tracks are all up on Amazon for sampling and purchase:

1. Visitation


2. The Heather on the Hill


3. Green Edge Sky, Green Edge Sun


4. Pete Kelly's Blues


5. Recado Bossa Nova


6. Once in Love with Amy


7. Green Dolphin Street


8. Ask Alice


9. Shadow Maker


10. Moten Swing


11. Count Your Blessings


12. In Your Own Sweet Way


13. We Will Meet Again

Congratulations, men, on Green Edge Sky, Green Edge Sun. A winner.

The Pianobabbler has babbled.

The Pianobabbler is a RonDavisMusic production. The Pianobabbler's blog posts appear weekly at pianobabbler.com. Please remember to leave your comments and thoughts below. Subscribe to the RSS feed. And subscribe to RonDavisNews by clicking on the Mailing List link, above right. And follow us on Twitter.

- Green Edge Sky, Green Edge Sun on Amazon

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