Last month brought news that Ran had finished recording a new album of solo piano. Already there’s more album news — in February Ran wrapped up an album of piano/vocal duets with longtime friend (and NEC colleague) Dominique Eade.

The pair actually started the project in 2004, recording several cuts. After the New Year they resumed work on the album, which was recorded at Rear Window studio in Brookline (where All That Is Tied was recorded).

The album is expected to include a mix of Dominique and Ran’s originals; standards such as “Old Devil Moon” and “The Thrill is Gone”; and some lesser known songs, such as Quincy Jones’ “Pawnbroker” and Stan Kenton’s “Falling.”

No word yet on label info or a release date.

The performance photos in this issue are from Ran’s show at the Sunset Sunside Jazz Club in Paris last December, which included Ran playing solo and also with local students. They were taken by Albert Hirsch, a sculptor and fan of Ran’s.

Ran is offering a two-credit course titled Film Noir: Alfred Hitchcock, The Director and his Music, from June 12-22 at the New England Conservatory.

The class will explore the wide range of music used in Hitchcock’s films, from Poulenc to circus rags to the semi-atonal to English pop. Students will be encouraged to participate by composing and improvising on the plots, themes and characters in the great director’s works.

The course’s first week (with meetings June 12, 14 and 15) focuses on Hitchcock’s English period. The tentative list of films for viewing includes Lodger, Blackmail, The 39 Steps, Sabotage, Young and Innocent and Jamaica Inn. The second week, with meetings June 19, 21 and 22, looks at the director’s American period. Films are expected to include Shadow of a Doubt, Spellbound, Notorious, The Paradine Case, Rope, Strangers on a Train, and I Confess.

The full schedule and cost info is available here. For more information or to sign up, please contact Margaret Ulmer of NEC’s Continuing Education department at (617) 585-1135 or sumsch@newenglandconservatory.edu.

Nasty New England weather in February didn’t stop Ran from his usual diet of live music. Highlights included New Orleans legend Irma Thomas at the Regattabar, the NEC Wind Ensemble (conducted by Charles Peltz) performing Messiaen’s Oiseaux exotiques at Jordan Hall, and NEC recitals by vocalist Sara Serpa (which included accompaniment from Ran) and saxophonist Chris Veilleux (who played Ran’s “Wende”).

Thanks for reading. You can reach Ran directly at ran@ranblake.com.

We’ll see you in March.
–Steve
Vol. 4, No.2