Ran Blake Plays Solo Piano

Ran Blake has focused on the so-called “Third Stream” mix of jazz and classical since the early ‘60s. The first of many solo albums in a sporadic recording career, Plays Solo Piano came out in 1965 after an acclaimed debut. The album originally received less attention than its predecessor, but it's well worth this reissue treatment. Here, Blake blends classical tones and riffs with material that comes straight out of the church (“Sister Tee”) and blues lexicons, sliding seamlessly between the two poles with tones that are dark and haunting. Instead of being distant and cool, they're immediate and intense, with abrupt tonal crashes that shake the piano if not also the eardrums. Whether it’s his spiky originals like “Vanguard,” a bluesy cover of the standard “Good Morning Heartache,” or a gospel take on Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman,” the pianist keeps listeners’ attention throughout with split-second changes in tone seemingly appearing out of nowhere. It’s a demanding style that takes getting used to, but it rewards patient listening.