There are few pieces of music written that can lay claim to being part of two completely different genres of music. Such is the case with Claude Bolling’s , Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano. Since its release in 1975, this work has become a Classic. After its initial release in 1975, Bolling’s  Suite enjoyed a ride on the Bill Board charts for a record breaking 530 weeks and literally helped coin the musical term, Crossover in the process. Appealing to people the world over, Flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal, Pianist Claude Bolling, Bassist Max Hediguer and drummer Marcel Sabiani cut new ground with this fusion of classically influenced Jazz music and Jazz influenced classical music. As it seems is often the case, critics from both sides of each genre took some cutting stabs at this new work but no matter what the critics said, the masses simply loved it. With Mr. Bolling’s approval, American Composer / Arranger Steve Barta set out to re arrange and re introduce this masterpiece to the world once again but with quite a different approach. Mr. Barta has taken the original work and arranged this for jazz quartet, string quartet and orchestra. Here, you will hear Steve Barta’s interpretation of Bolling’s Suite in a whole new light, as he brings together the best soloists in the jazz and classical worlds to present his new interpretation. Barta states, I remember pianist Jeff Biegel and I got together sometime in 2008. He had a concert with the orchestra in town, and he was running through some repertoire in my home. At dinner, we were discussing both jazz and classical music, and naturally Bolling’s Suite came up in the conversation. It was like our thoughts were tracking the very same thing at the same time. I had been considering doing an arrangement of the Suite for orchestra for quite some time, and Jeff had been holding the same thought in his mind thinking of how an arrangement for this with orchestra might come together. Over a tasty Pasta and a fair red vino, the idea to arrange this for orchestra simply clicked. For Steve Barta, the correct personal to interpret the Suite was essential. Master flutist Hubert Laws was simply the only choice for Barta: Hubert is the rare person who has the capacity to walk in both the classical and jazz worlds, states Barta. Here you will find Mr. Law s interpretation of the Suite is perfection. Jeffrey Biegel is a rare prodigy talent that is so appealing, not only because of his brilliant abilities at the piano, he likes to take musical risks step out into new areas of music and further his abilities as an artist. Steve says, Jeff s interpretation of Bolling’s piece is masterful. Brazilian drummer and co-producer Michael Shapiro brought to the session a payment of homage to the original arrangement, while at the same time putting his own stamp on this fusion of classical and jazz as only Michael Shapiro can do. Bassist Mike Valerio is yet another of the ensemble who holds the rare capacity to walk in the worlds of classical and jazz as well. Working with both orchestras and jazz ensembles, Valerio has his own sound and his own style, which fit perfectly into the jazz quartet. I can’t imagine a better group of four people for the jazz quartet, says Steve Barta. For the cover art, Barta revisited master designer/artist Roger Huyssen, who did all of Bolling’s cover art for his CBS Masterworks series of original works, including the original iconic and whimsical Suite cover, with the flute and piano sharing the same sleeping arrangements! After discussing the new arrangement with Barta, Mr. Huyssen brilliantly updated the cover to depict a family with children the orchestra, creating yet another one of Roger’s memorable cover art pieces. Here, Steve Barta masterfully weaves string quartet, jazz quartet and orchestra.
