Bill Dobbins

Preludes, Vol. 3

Six preludes for solo piano using vocabulary from both the classical and the jazz traditions. Prelude XIII (G flat) focuses on a lovely right hand melody that sits on top a constantly shifting set of rich and increasingly chromatic harmonies. The first improvised section suggests Debussy colors, while the second improvisation calls for a more traditional harmonic relationship, giving the pianist ample opportunities to discover intriguing roads to travel. Prelude XV (B) is a hauntingly beautiful waltz that cries out for tenderness and sensitivity in both the written and improvised sections. As with so much of Dobbins writing, the prominence of singing melodies over complex yet appealing sonorities allows the pianist to access a wide tonal range at the keyboard. Prelude XVII (E) is a brilliantly conceived study for the left hand alone. Again dipping into his rich harmonic bag of tricks, Dobbins provides the pianist broad stokes with which to paint. Prelude XVIII (C sharp minor) is a rhythmic tour de force, a modern jazz etude that demands a strong drive, steel fingers, and a quick touch. As in the previous two sets of Preludes, Dobbins has given the modern pianist a veritable new world to explore and to bring to modern audiences. He is challenging each kind of pianist (the non-improvising classical and the jazz pianist who may not perform written scores as a rule) to introduce themselves to the others way of communication. And in doing so, he is providing a fascinating, pianistic, and unique set of pieces, and possibilities for personal expression that become ever more personal each performance.