Two-piano jazz returns to Barnes with concert by Borden and Bryski

Two-piano jazz is back at Barnes Hall on Friday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m., when David Borden and Blaise Bryski present an evening of music by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Featuring both duets and solos, the program includes Lady Madonna, Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, A Day in the Life, She's So Heavy and many more. Both performers will present their own interpretations and arrangements, some of which are much different than the originals.

With the late Cornell music professor Edward Murray, Borden recorded four CDs of two-piano standards, some arranged as duets and some as solos, for Lameduck Music. Borden had this to say about those popular two-piano gigs he performed with Murray, professor of music, who died last year:

"Working with Ed Murray, preparing two-piano concerts of American pop and jazz standards, was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my musical life. The only reason I agreed to perform with Ed was that he refused to do solo concerts of his jazz arrangements. So I offered to share the stage, and he then consented. This collaboration started when Ed gave me a tape of him playing some of his favorite tunes. He called his own arrangements 'meditations.' This allowed for unique interpretations of familiar tunes like George Gershwin's 'Strike Up the Band' as a dreamy fantasy or Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" as a Debussy Prelude. In fact, Ed would often quote from the classical repertoire in his arrangements. I miss him deeply on both a personal and professional level."

Borden, with the generous support of Robert Moog, founded Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Co., the world's first synthesizer ensemble, in 1969. There have been numerous recordings featuring his work, mostly on the Cuneiform label, and he also has recorded for CRI, Lameduck and Linden Music. Borden is the director of the Digital Music Program at Cornell.

Bryski is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and received his master of fine arts degree from the California Institute of the Arts.

Bryski performed for many years as an accompanist for the UCLA Department of Music and was a professional pianist in Los Angeles in many styles, including rock and jazz. As a fortepianist, his credits include the Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra Chamber Music series, the New York Concert Singers and the Aldeburgh Connection/CBC Radio.

Bryski is finishing a doctorate in 18th-century performance practice at Cornell. Bryski currently is a core member of Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Co.