Dyad Plays Puccini Announces New Shows, Including CD Release Party, 10/3

Dyad Plays Puccini has upcoming shows through October, including shows in New York and New Jersey. Dyad Plays Puccini features Lou Caimano on saxophone, and Eric Olsen on piano.

It is often said that no musical instrument more perfectly replicates the human voice than the saxophone. On that note, when operatic soprano Pamela Olsen confided to her husband, pianist Eric Olsen that alto saxophonist Lou Caimano's playing reminded her of an opera singer, a beautiful concept was born. And a new adventure began for Dyad, Lou and Eric's remarkable duo: Dyad Plays Puccini.

While the idea of re-imagining Puccini in the form of contemporary jazz arrangements might initially seem unlikely, the question quickly arises "Why isn't Puccini as rich a source for jazz as Billy Strayhorn?" After all, Puccini's arias are some of the most beautiful and familiar songs in musical history, and certainly as ideal a territory for exploration as standards like Stray's Lush Life, Monk's 'Round Midnight or Matt Dennis' Angel Eyes. As with those gorgeous melodies, Puccini's music has been known to induce heart-wrenching emotions and streaming tears simply by the sequence of tones, without any consideration of the narrative content of the operas in which they're contained. On this CD, Caimano's beautiful tone and Olsen's rich, lush lyricism evoke those same responses and a full array of other emotions from introspective melancholy to uplifting jubilation.

There is not a wisp of contrivance, or even a sense of ironic juxtaposition or playful parody in the delightful arrangements that these two remarkable artists have created for the ten classic pieces. The original compositions are treated with total respect and the re-imaginations, while sometimes arresting, are always fully appropriate for the original intention of the composer. Puccini could be as soulful as Otis Redding, as vividly lyrical as Ellington and as unabashedly beautiful as Tadd Dameron. All of those colors and textures are contained here, but the fullest emphasis is upon beauty.

Dyad plays Puccini has the following shows coming up:

On Friday, September 13, at Rutherford Congregational Church (251 Union Avenue Rutherford NJ 07070), he will play starting at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $20 for Adults and $10 for anyone aged $16 and under. For more information, you can call 201-428-6324.

On Thursday, October 3, Dyad Plays Puccini will play at The Bitter End (147 Bleecker Street New York NY 10012), and this will be the party for the CD release. It will begin at 7:30, with a $7 cover, two minimum drink at a table, one at a bar. For more information, call (212) 673-7030.

On Friday, October 18th at Montclair State University in Chapin Hall, Jed Leschowitz Recital Hall, Dyad plays Puccini will play at 8 for free. For more information, call 973-655-4000.

Finally, on Sunday March 9th, 2014 at Luna Stage in West Orange, NJ, Dyad Plays Puccini will play at 7 PM. $18 for advance tickets, $20 at the door, and for more information you can call 973 395-5551.

For more information on the duo, you can visit their website.