The most intriguing and prolific contemporary composer of the 21st century releases another instant classic. His talent knows no boundary.
The story of Bryce Dessner is a compelling one. He emerged out of Cincinnati as a guitar player of singular merit with a penchant for writing indie-rock material that culminated (with his twin brother Aaron) as the foundation of The National. He earned a masters degree in music from Yale University prior to his recording debut.
Albums such as High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me brought him acclaim, particularly the “Bloodbuzz Ohio” cut on High Violet delivering controversy for its outsized passionate performance from singer Matt Berninger. His extra-curricular compositions found a home with the famed Kronos Quarter in 2013. His work of four compositions entitled”Murder Ballades” on Blackbird’s Filament album earned him a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance.
His true calling is as a composer and collaborator, and he has worked with the best, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Alejandro Iñarritú, Paul Simon, Sufjan Stevens, Caroline Shaw, Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead, Bon Iver, Justin Peck, Jennifer Koh, Kelley O’Connor, Ragnar Kjartansson and Nico Muhly.
He has resided in Paris for some time, and has produced countless film scores and orchestral pieces, drawing on folk, baroque, modernism and minimalism. His talent knows no boundary, and his output is prodigious. His latest release, entitled Solos, consists of 15 pieces performed by Dessner on guitar, Colin Currie on marimba, string players Pekka Kuusisto, Nadia Sirota, and Anastasia Kobekina, pianist Katia Labèque, and harpist Lavinia Meijer. The music is beautiful, restful and restless by turns, each a creation for a solo performance, hence the title.
Whether composing for string quartets, solo piano, solo cello, or a five-octave marimba, Dessner delivers a lyrical quality of high order and sometimes startling listenability. There is no question he is one of the most gifted composers of our time. That he chooses to work with artists such as Taylor Swift, or to compose the score for The Two Popes, or create a piece for Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson, is nothing short of astonishing for his versatility and willingness to explore any creative opportunity.
Our verdict on Solos: highly recommended for those of eclectic tastes.
