Wigged Out (1998)

About this title: A brilliant pianist and an occasional trumpeter who has spent his life in the studios, Randy Waldman finally made his first solo album in 1997. For this inspired project, he takes ten classical pieces and transforms them in creative fashion into jazz, showing off his remarkable technique and his ability to think very fast. A few notables (including tenors Michael Brecker and Bob Berg, and trumpeters Arturo Sandoval and Freddie Hubbard) make cameo appearances, but the focus throughout is on Waldman's very colorful piano playing, which really gets turned loose in this setting. Recommended. ... read more

Tracks:

1. Peter and the Wolf [Prokofiev]
2. Minuet in G [Beethoven]
3. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies [Tchaikovsky/Tchaiko]
4. The Flight of the Bumblebee [Rimsky-Korsakov]
5. Prelude in C# Minor [Rachmaninov]
6. Waltz of the Flowers/Botanical Intro [Tchaikovsky/Waldman]
7. Ride of the Valkyries [Wagner]
8. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring [Bach/Bach]
9. Beethoven's 5th Symphony [Beethoven]
10. Les Sylphides [Chopin]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.