Mysterious chords and surprising structures become addictive, until they sound inevitable. ) but Chilly Gonzales doesn’t need to please anyone anymore. The collaborations continue (Room 29 with Jarvis Cocker, Ibeyi, Toddla T. Solo Piano III comes at a more problematic inflection point. The sequel definitively satisfied an ever-increasing audience hungry for Gonzo’s imperfectly perfect miniatures. By then a legendary entertainer and A-list collaborator (Drake, Daft Punk, Feist) Chilly Gonzales delivered a catchy, polished collection he was aiming to please and ready for prime time. Solo Piano II (2012) was a pop mini-masterpiece for a wired world, a transition to a new reality. This album of accidental virtuosity surprised everyone, including the self-described musical genius himself. Solo Piano (2004) appeared in a more innocent time, when Chilly Gonzales was a pioneer in evoking the dying genres of classical and jazz and dragged them kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Like its predecessors, it’s a mostly happy ending in C major, but there is more dissonance, tension and ambiguity along the way. Like any final act, there are complications and consequences, followed by an urgent race to the finish line. Solo Piano III completes the Solo Piano trilogy.
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