Following the success of their Odradek Records releases, 'Flashback' and 'French Connection', Duo Ultima returns with an irresistible programme of 'Dances & Delights' for saxophone and piano, including pieces by Ibert and Piazzolla.

Guido Baumer (saxophone) and Aladar Racz (piano) have chosen a delectable selection of pieces for this album, each of them exhibiting elements of dance or comedy. There are two Bozza pieces inspired by the 'Commedia dell'arte': 'Scaramouche' and 'Pulcinella', and a suite of sweets by Delvincourt, whose 'Croquembouches', dating from the 1920s, features an array of movements inspired by different desserts.

As Guido Bumer describes in the album booklet, "Pascal's 'Sonatine' is one of the great virtuoso works of the classical saxophone literature, a bravura piece that is an expression of French 'savoir-vivre', and in the 'Pices Franaises' by Decruck, the landscapes, smells and images of France come to life via many facets of saxophone technique" Ibert's 'Aria' dates from 1930 and was originally written for mezzo-soprano and piano. Its enchanting melody has since been arranged for numerous different instrumental combinations, including saxophone and piano.

Piazzolla's 'Etudes Tanguistiques' were written in 1987; originally for solo flute, they follow the lineage, from Biber to Bach to Berio, of solo works that display 'contrapuntal' characteristics, creating a sense of more than one line in the context of a solo work.

Praise for Duo Ultima's 'French Connection' on Odradek:

"These two musicians are clearly in fine synergy with each other, and this is an excellent place for expanding your collection of saxophone music." Music Web International