ArpaViva CD003: New York Love Songs; Jenny Q Chai, Piano & Voice
Jenny Q Chai plays the part of both pianist and vocalist for this recording. NYLS is a conceptual album dedicated to the avant-garde reinterpretation of the solo pianist/vocalist genre, with Victoria Jordanova’s song-cycle New York Love Songs as the title cut. First on the album are the evergreen songs written by American musical giants John Cage, Charles Ives, and Frederic Rzewski, presented here as the miniature apotheosis of each composer’s style. NYLS also spotlights the work of the accomplished young composer Ashley Fu-Tsun Wang, completing Jordanova’s curatorial vision of a melting-pot of forward-thinking artists in tune with the spirit of New York City.