Kyle Lawson
Piano accompanist: Julia Cassells 
KYLE01CD

The antipodean banding movement has a long history of gifted cornet soloists whose abilities have gained critical acclaim far from home shores.

Pioneers such as Percy Code and Arthur Stender were followed by the likes of Ken Smith, Errol Mason, Trevor Bremner, and more latterly, the late Kevin Jarrett and David King, whose influences on Kyle Lawson, a champion soloist of both Australia and New Zealand are certainly heard on this, his debut CD release.

Impressive

As an ‘introduction’ it is an impressive calling card; a carefully curated selection of studio recital recordings that showcase an undeniably gifted performer at his best. 

He is also an inheritor of the traditional antipodean cornet sound, honed through the testing crucible of solo competitions from local junior events to national championships, and further enhanced by overseas tenures at Brighouse & Rastrick and as a member of the New Zealand Army Band. 

His fine technique is delivered through a lean, compact tonality that has a controlled lightness tempered with the chiaroscuro ability to contrast texture.

His fine technique is delivered through a lean, compact tonality that has a controlled lightness tempered with the chiaroscuro ability to contrast texture. It is heard from the off with the effective, if somewhat predictable tick-box cameo spotlight of ‘Southern Stars’  by Bertrand Moren, but it is at its most engaging with his appreciation of the two solo ‘standards’ – the tender emotion of John Golland’s ‘Ballade’  and the fluid melodic phrasing of ‘Dark Haired Marie’. 

Love lost

The pick though is Samuel Powell’s ‘Milford’,  muted in melancholic reflection and cultured beauty. Elsewhere, one of Rachmaninoff’s '12 Romances’  lingers in the springtime air, misty and fragrant, whilst Piazzolla’s ‘Oblivion’  captures the sad emptiness that speaks of a love lost at the bottom of a late-night shot glass.    

Piazzolla’s ‘Oblivion’ captures the sad emptiness that speaks of a love lost at the bottom of a late-night shot glass.    

Composed stylistic nuance comes with a neat arrangement of Mendelssohn’s ‘Violin Concerto in D minor’,  which has a nimble clarity in its outer moments and an assured malleable subtly in the central section, although with the classic ‘Chiapanecas’  you wish he broke free from the self-imposed confines to be a little more flamboyant with the meaty Mexican showmanship. Mendez and his dancing girls were no shrinking violets.

Engaging

The immediacy of the well-balanced recording is aided splendidly by the responsive accompaniment of Julia Cassels on piano. 

As with a growing number of new solo releases though, the lack of sleeve notes is a frustrating fad. It somewhat undermines a great deal of the obvious overall quality that has gone into what is a thoroughly engaging introduction to a performer worthy of the lineage of the finest antipodean players who have preceded him.

Iwan Fox 

To purchase: 
CD: https://www.kylelawsonmusic.online/product-page/debut-album-cd

Download: https://www.kylelawsonmusic.online/product-page/introduction-digital-album

Play list:

1. Southern Stars (Bertrand Moren)
2. 12 Romances Op.21 – No.7 (Sergei Rachmaninoff)
3. Oblivion (Astor Piazzolla arr. Powell)

4 -6.  Violin Concerto in D minor (Felix Mendelssohn)
i. Allegro
ii. Andante
iii. Allegro

7. Ballade (John Golland)
8. Dark Haired Marie (Goff Richards)

9. Chiapanecas (Rafael Mendez)
10. Milford (Samuel Powell)*
*Featuring Samuel Powell on piano