Clarinet Sonata

Acclaimed duo partners Jon Manasse and Jon Nakamatsu turn their attention to American composers in this jazz-inflected program of music for clarinet and piano. Bernstein s sonata was his first published work. It is a stylish blend of neo-classical formalism and Bernstein s keen understanding of popular sensibilities. Gershwin is represented here in two arrangements by James Cohn, first of the evergreen Preludes for piano, followed by a transcription of the iconic song I Got Rhythm from the musical Girl Crazy as the disc s encore. Also featured are two world premiere recordings John Novacek s 4 Rags for 2 Jons, a modern take on the style made popular by Scott Joplin, and jazz clarinetist Paquito D Rivera s The Cape Cod Files, written in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Cape Cod Chamber Music festival, of which Jon Manasse and Jon Nakamatsu are Artistic Co-Directors.