Swingin' Bach: Featuring Bobby McFerrin and Friends

Live from the Market Square in Leipzig, a pair of attractive, bilingual hosts preside over a packed crowd who have come to applaud the fact that Bach's music is still contemporary and universal and has “a magical quality that makes it swing.” Although the title touts Bobby McFerrin, he generously shares the spotlight with a deftly chosen roster of distinctive musicians, including German Brass, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (with violinists Gil Shaham and Adele Anthony), Jacques Loussier Trio, Quintessence Saxophone Quintet, Turtle Island String Quartet, and King'singers. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, ravishing performances of Bach by the traditional groups set us up to enjoy the intimate jazz interpretation, scat vocals, and far-out postmodern riffs here (to illustrate the metamorphosis, "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" is interwoven throughout, more wondrous with each virtuoso turn). Although the camerawork (complete with rain spots) doesn't quite capture the flow of the performance, this is absolutely wunderbar overall, and highly recommended for all music collections. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Reed)