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And if you’ve got to love it you may as well love Richard Galliano, hailed by many as the world’s finest jazz accordionist. For him is not the lazy, slightly tuneless squeezebox of your common or garden underground busker, but the musically erudite tunesmith of the Parisian streets of legend, turning heads with his virtuosity and smart-arsedness.

Solo is a reissue of Galliano’s 1992 album of reinterpretations of the music of Astor Piazzolla, which has more than a touch of Gallic shrug about it and a good deal of flair. There’s a touch of prog about this, in his wild wanderings from the melody, dissonance and crazy interpretations.

However, going back to my opening sentence I don’t love this. I admire it for the outstanding playing, for the skill and virtuosity, but it seems the jazz landscape Galliano conjures up is a little too introspective, intense in the way only a solo album can be.

Solo is released on 26 March.

Links:
www.richardgalliano.com