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"BEST OF WEST
COAST JAZZ Talented lineup delivers daring and lyrical tunes ...The repertoire is a mixed bag of Roessingh's clever originals and soulful interpretations of jazz standards like My Funny Valentine, Comes Love, Cheek to Cheek, It Had to be You and the standout title track. Roessingh has a lovely, lyrical touch, a deep knowledge of the historic evolution of jazz, and a quirky sense of humour. It's all here on these live solo performances, and it's wonderful." Joseph Blake - Victoria Times Colonist, 15/01/09 "Back before anyone ever thought up the term "mash-ups" there was this little thing called jazz, where musicians would freely mash bits and pieces of various songs together, often in the midst of their own material. And local jazz pianist Karel Roessingh is a master of this style, as heard on his most recent disc, Nature Boy, where classical and jazz standards (Moonlight Sonata, It Had to be You) merge melodies with a selection of tasty originals (Traffic, Been There). With 10 tracks running nearly an hour, and a mood that switches from the introspection of George Winston to the bright charm of Oscar Peterson, Nature Boy is another solo piano gem from one of the city's finest musicians. I've been listening to this exceptional album for a few months and have been remiss in not sharing it with the city sooner. Ideal for late nights, early mornings or anytime you need some quiet reflection with a bit of a quirky twist, Nature Boy is a natural hit." - John Threlfall - Monday Magazine, 29/4/09 |
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"INDIE ISLAND
JAZZ Ten (okay, 11) essential recordings for your collection Straight-ahead piano-trio jazz doesn't get any better, particularly when you add performers like Gary Karr (arco bass), Daniel Lapp (horns) and Paul Wainwright (soprano sax) to the mix. With Joey Smith (bass) and Josh Dixon (drums), Roessingh offers ten original tunes that swing smoothly with purity, taste, and grace." Rick Gibbs - Monday Magazine, 19/06/08 |
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Sultry tones
brought home the blues "Maureen Washington performed at the Prince George Playhouse last weekend to celebrate her new CD release Blues in the Night and what a night it was...I must say Karel Roessingh the piano player that accompanied Washington was superb. He literally tickled the ivories and I finally got what that phrase meant. His fingers flew so quickly and the notes were so clear and crisp and I get it. He really did tickle the ivories." Christine Skorepa - The Prince George Citizen, 25/10/10 |
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"CD REVIEWS Local artists offer superb new piano renditions Karel Roessingh is a local hero... A Renaissance man with an eclectic career in all phases of the music business as well as a civic leader, the veteran recorded Blue/Green...in concert at Alix Goolden Hall... Karel shares (Bill) Evans' quiet fire and wistful, lyrical soul... Scottish folk songs, Beatles tunes, Brazilian sambas, and jazz classics....Roessingh blows new life into them all..." Joseph Blake - Victoria Times Colonist, 23/11/01 "Sometimes the tastiest music can be found hiding in our own backyard. Such is the case with Blue/Green, the latest release from that ivory-tickling mayor, Karel Roessingh. A gorgeous selection of solo piano recorded live...Blue/Green is a clever blending of originals...with select covers...that often - and successfully - evokes the spirit of piano master Keith Jarrett. All in all, Blue/Green is a great work by a noted stalwart of the local scene and well lives up to repeated listening. John Threlfall - Monday Magazine, 6/01/05 "PIANIST KAREL ROESSINGH When you're truly versatile, musical opportunities abound Karel Roessingh is a rare musician. He doesn't have anything to grumble about... Being versatile is what has made the difference between Roessingh and so many other talented Victoria musicians who have been unable to earn a reasonable living just playing music. He appears to have played in every imaginable situation, and the breadth of that experience shows through at a place like the Herald Street Caffe, where he's free to play whatever comes to mind. Characteristically, his playing has nice walking basslines and the chord voicings of a player out of the Berklee School of Music in Boston... He's also fortunate in having zucchini-like fingers that can take 10ths and 11ths with relative ease... Here is a man who has clearly paid his dues, and the success he's now enjoying in Victoria is well-deserved." Terry Douglas, Monday Magazine, 12/11/82 "Keys - Karel Roessingh (self-produced cassette) Roessingh puts his stamp on new age music with seven melancholy, lyrical originals. To call this music dreamy is an understatement. Not since Keith Jarrett's early forays into solo piano improvisation have I been so moved by a jazz/new age fusion. Like Jarrett's best work, Roessingh's playing is of such high quality that his meandering, unresolved, new age compositions hold my interest... Recordings like Keys rescue new age music... It is a rich, lyrical tapestry of brooding, lyrical solo piano." Joseph Blake - Victoria Times Colonist, 15/4/89 |
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