MATT HERSKOWITZ
COLLABORATIONS
"What I want ideally from a classical recording is to hear a piece of music as I’ve never heard it before... In this performance, the Kreutzer Sonata makes me smile unexpectedly, open my eyes wide, breathe more deeply. Beethoven lives through St. John’s voice-like tone, Herskowitz’s brutally crisp left hand, the singing tunefulness both musicians bring to music that’s unusually melodic for Beethoven."
"The Romanticism Beethoven gestures toward is in full flower in Franck’s sonata, brilliantly realized in this resplendent performance. St. John’s ability to evoke the human voice is especially effective here when linked with Herskowitz’s multicolored fullness of tone." - Blogcritics.org
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"Where does one begin with Key of A, the new album from violinist Lara St. John and pianist Matt Herskowitz that, on its surface, looks perfectly safe but, in practice, proves anything but? The performances, to start in an obvious spot, are charismatic and full-blooded. That isn’t necessarily surprising, given this duo... "A similar energy level marks their take on César Franck’s Violin Sonata. Here, the music’s turbulent undercurrents showcase Herskowitz’s musicianship brilliantly: his execution of second-movement keyboard fingerwork, for instance, is nothing short of astonishing." - The Arts Fuse, Classical CD Reviews
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"As to the coupling (of the two sonatas), one need only look to the Perlman/ Argerich EMI effort for an excellent rendition, and there are many in various complete sets. But honestly, I think this one from St. John and her wonderful partner Herskowitz proves the topper to any I have heard. It has everything—wonderful tonal qualities, unparalleled energy, and palpable enthusiasm. Quite a ride, and we’re just getting started."
"You will want this disc; you need this disc, and it provides an hour of exceptional pleasure and illuminating insight into the worlds of two very different composers." - Audiophile Audition
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"Fusing Classical and Jazz has been done before and its success always depends on the calibre of the musicianship brought to the keyboard. A new recording, Piano Caméléons (Justin Time JUST 257-2) features pianists Matt Herskowitz and John Roney recasting many of the classical repertoire’s best known melodies in a jazz voice...It’s ingenious and impressively creative." - The Whole Note
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"As I listened to Matt and John pushing harmonic boundaries so effortlessly and with a smile, I wondered what those old masters would have thought of people tampering with their music. When you consider that these composers were either considered off the wall, avant garde or inveterate improvisers in their own time, I suspect they probably would have joined us in standing and shouting, “Bravo!”- Oliveronline.ca
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"Classical with a bit of gypsy flair, Shiksa has St. John and Herskowitz delivering heritage music with passion, furor, and spectacular extemporization." - Second Inversion
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"That St. John and her pianist bandmate could maintain the kind of feral intensity they’d begun with, throughout a concert that lasted almost two hours in a stone-lined Harlem church crypt, was astounding to witness: a feast of raw adrenaline and sizzling chops." - New York Music Daily
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"I could go on, but with every track a unique and utterly delightful listening experience there is little point. Suffice it to say that the St. John / Herskowitz partnership is a dynamic and innovative one, and the commitment required to fully sell these gems is forcefully present in each artist." - Audiophile Audition
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