Francis Lockwood is a great jazz pianist, a vehicle for emotion and a true architect for melody. And this magnificent album produced in 2005 by Didier Lockwood for his Ames label confirms that statement. This album represents a wonderful initiation for anyone wanting to hear the artistic palette of this major pianist - a reference for others. Francis, whose lyricism and melodic phrasing are constantly on the edge, has no equal when it comes to making melodies from jazz, pop and classical music entirely his own. With an art as precious as this, he deserves to be in the limelight more often. Three things make Didier Lockwood an unavoidable figure in music; first, he's an eclectic musician, an impassioned visionary recognized by all; second, he's also a producer, stimulating and revealing new talents; and third, as a teacher he shows heart and conviction. Didier's triple facets hav emoved this virtuoso violinist to create his own School of Music, the CMDL.
