Jacques Loussier

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

I recently downloaded his jazz take on Bach's "air on a G string", famous for being used in the UK TV ad for Hamlet cigars, and today bought a "best of" collection in the HMV clearout for £3.99.

double bassist Pierre Michelot gets a great tone, to my ears, anyway...

what's the verdict of you seasoned jazzers/classical players on his "jazzification" of classical pieces?

[Wil Davis]

Nothing wrong with it - it's the music which is important - Bach himself was a great improviser and arranger, so there's nothing wrong with Monsieur Loussier doing his own thing with JSB's music. BTW (IMHO) JSB's music is so pure, so abstract, that it lends itself to all manner of interpretation, arrangement and re-arrangement...

- Wil

[Don Higdon]

Nothing wrong with it per se, but there can be plenty wrong with it, depending on whether the interpretation adds to or subtracts from the original. Generally speaking, my inclination is that it's a tough sell when the original is Bach. Not impossible, but tough.