By now, we’re sure you’re familiar with our resident flute duo Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara. Together with pianist Allison Brewster Franzetti, later this year they’re expected to release a fifteen-track album titled By Request, which is comprised of pieces that have been requested by their friends and fans. We’ve gotten a taste of this project already with their covers of (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight and Take On Me. Today, we’re stepping into a different genre and allowing their classical arrangements to transform a new style of music as the duo takes on Howie Day’s Collide.
Originally an emotional soft pop track, Collide offers a gentler melody and composition that makes it seem remarkably suitable for the transformation into a flute-led instrumental piece, a marked difference from the previous two singles. But as with each and every arrangement from this pair, we are always given a rendition that takes it beyond the familiar, incorporating the recognizable moments while creating a melodic structure that best showcases their musical chemistry and aptitude for their instruments.
The piano intro in this track is particularly engaging because of its subtlety. In previous singles, the track is nearly immediately recognizable from the introduction even if modified a bit. But in this case, Franzetti plays just enough of the chorus melody to make us wonder, “Is this the song I think it is?” until the main verse melody arrives and removes all doubt. This track beautifully showcases the lower range of the alto flute, the rich deep tones serving as the highlight through the early parts of the song.
The opposite is true as we arrive at the chorus – the concert flute takes the melody to an extreme high and delivers it with satisfying angelic precision. From there, we venture further into Markoff & Lazzara’s more artistic interpretations of the track, with plenty of movement and melodic moments outside the original melody, but remaining a cohesive, familiar, and elegant production.
The anticipation continues to build for Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara‘s next album. With each of these singles as impressive as the last, the bar is set incredibly high for the full release of By Request. But with seemingly no genre off-limits and their ability to deliver gorgeous renditions of each and every cover they attempt, we have no doubt that the album will surpass all expectations. That said, we’ve heard that there may be a couple more singles before the full release – check back soon and see what song they decide to take on next!
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BELOW: Listen to Collide and connect with their website and social media platforms. Please support Steve Markoff & Patricia Lazzara by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
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