99. The Magnificent Seven

Do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti...? (No, not that seven.)

This seven: Bach, Prokofieff, Rachmaninoff, Hindemith, Corea, Zawinul and Evans.

After my last recital I chose the following piano pieces to work on for my next repertoire:

1. Bach Inventions 1 - 8 because these are always worth going back to.

2. Prokofieff Visions Fugitives 1 - 8 because these make excellent modern companion pieces that complement the Bach Inventions.

3. Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Variation 18 for its rich and moving romanticism.

4. Hindemith Praeludium and Fuga Prima from Ludus Tonalis for its contemporary take on Bach's counterpoint in The Well Tempered Clavier.

5. Chick Corea No Mystery an inspiring Grammy award winning, 20th century jazz fusion classic written and recorded by Chick with Return to Forever.

6. Joe Zawinul Birdland another excellent, upbeat 20th century jazz fusion classic originally recorded by Weather Report and later by Quincy Jones.

7. Bill Evans take on Alex North's hauntingly beautiful Love Theme from Spartacus.

And that's the state of the art as I prepare to record them.