EDITORIAL REVIEWS
"The piano is a mysterious land that can only be explored through it's coast of ivory. The pianist becomes a knight in the service of music and every piece that is played is a musical journey." On the second volume of Adventure Music's Piano Masters Series, Philippe Baden Powell is a "wildly rhythmic multi-keyboardist," turns his formidable talents to solo performance on a recording that features eight original compositions, along with the young pianist's brilliant interpretations of works by such notable musicians as Thelonious Monk, Caetano Veloso and John Coltrane. The son of legendary guitarist Baden Powell, Philippe earned a stellar reputation while in his twenties for his work with such acclaimed Brazilian musicians as Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, and Seu Jorge. He has also made significant contributions to several other Adventure Music releases: Vittor Santos' Renewed Impressions (2006) and Mario Adnet's AfroSambaJazz: A Tribute to Baden Powell. Piano Masters 2 is only Philippe's second release as a leader - his Adventure Music debut, Estrada de Terra/Dirt Road, was released in 2006 to much critical acclaim - and it finds him as easily in his element as he was on that earlier release, which featured him in a small group setting along with Adventure Music label-mates Hamilton de Holanda on mandolin and Vittor Santos providing string arrangements and conducting the string section. Recorded in 2008 at Klavierhaus in New York City, Piano Masters 2 features Philippe performing on the Fazioli F-308 Concert Grand piano, a one-day session that the pianist calls "one of the greatest experiences I have ever had."