The collaboration between saxophonist Lucas Hopkins and pianist Er-Hsuan Li in Nostos unveils a masterful exploration of contemporary compositions for saxophone and piano. Featuring works crafted for a whole decade by three living composers and recorded at the Grusin Music Hall at the University of Colorado Boulder, this 14-track album was recorded at with Kevin Harbison leading the recording, editing, and mastering, Nostos radiates clarity and emotional depth.
The album opens with Carter Pannโs โSonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano: I. This Black Cat,โ a vivid and whimsical piece where Hopkinsโ saxophone dances over Liโs gentle piano, conjuring a sense of mystery and playfulness. Pannโs inspiration from feline muses and jazz greats like Coltrane and Parker infuses the movement with moments of jazzy exuberance.
Following this introduction is โThree Songs Without Words,โ a collection traverses wistful emotions and vivid imagery. The delicate โReverieโ evokes a dreamy introspection, โSoaringโ lifts listeners to thrilling heights, and โConsolationโ closes the trio with a somber, reflective tone. These pieces harken back to the spirit of 19th-century salon music while exploring a contemporary sensibility.
A standout is โTwo Childhood Portraits: II. Sunsetโ by Aris Antoniades. This movement is a meditation on nostalgia, with the saxophoneโs reflective phrases complemented by Liโs shimmering piano. Inspired by the Mediterranean sunset viewed from the Ancient Settlement of Curium, the music captures the tender duality of dusk paired with the wistful recognition of passing time. The harmonies, delicate yet profound, embody the fleeting warmth and enduring impressions of childhood memories.
The title work, Nostos, culminates the album with deeply personal reflections. Particularly moving is โII. Grandmother Maroullaโs Stories,โ a tender homage to Antoniadesโ great-grandmother. Here, the saxophone and piano weave a lullaby of affectionate warmth. The interplay between Hopkinsโ expressive bends and Liโs soft, rippling tones conjures an atmosphere of loving reminiscence, inviting the listener into a space of intimacy and comfort.
Listen to the journey through memory, emotion, and artistry of Nostos on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan