Solo Piano II - Chilly Gonzales
Solo Piano II Image
Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critics What's this?

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  • Summary: The follow-up to his 2004 album Solo Piano was recorded over 10 days in Paris.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. BBC Music
    Aug 20, 2012
    80
    This set is a welcome throwback to simpler, gentler times.
  2. Drowned In Sound
    Aug 23, 2012
    80
    Solo Piano II's classical leanings and modernistic execution are testament to the piano's ever-lasting ability to dazzle the masses.
  3. Mojo
    Aug 20, 2012
    80
    II offers a litany of brief, mellifluous, vaguely jazzy mood sketches, fluidly mapping a terrain both playful and emotionally resonant like the missing link between Eric Satie's Gymnopedies and Everybody Digs Bill Evans. [Sep 2012, p.88]
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  4. musicOMH.com
    Aug 31, 2012
    60
    A largely attractive album, then, but one that by its finish may well have you yearning for an injection of the funk we know Gonzales can provide.

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User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. cedrickjames
    9
    Known for his eccentricity and bizarre personality, Chilly Gonzales comes back with a classical Piano Solo album. Subtle and simply delicious for the ears, Piano Solo II brings the listener into the world of Gonzales classical side. Always original, Gonzales sounds partly Michel Legrand, partly Eric Satie without falling into copy cover. His modern classical approach to music makes this album a classical album with a twist. Also Chilly Gonzales being a true entertainer and musical genius (that how he calls himself), he does not have much to prove any more, nevertheless he always bring music up. Well done !… Expand
  2. axelkoch
    8
    As cedrickjames already said it, 'Solo Piano II' is delicious for the ears. Gonzales' is one of the best living pianists and he created wonderful melodies for his 2012 release. It's a very sapid one and all of his songs make you curious, in some way. The best one is definitely the opener, White Keys, who is the only song that really has the potency to be remembered in 50 years. A wonderful classical piece, I'd go as far as comparing him to the leading pianists of former centuries. 'Solo Piano II' is incredibly chilling and I've listened to every single song at least 5 times yet and also if I didn't succeed at differentiating all the songs only by their titles until now, I love everyone of them. It's not as sprightly as his 2010 work 'Ivory Tower', but perhaps it's just that makes his freshest one better. He can get better and I absolutely hope he will release an album that is nothing less than perfect someday, but 'Solo Piano II' isn't. For a tiny little bit it's fatigable, but that really is the only minus point I found for this album. Go and hear it if you haven't already, Chilly Gonzales has made some sound pieces of sound here.… Expand

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