The many sides of Thomas Quasthoff
mainOne of the great baritone’s few regrets was that the world had not seen enough of his versatility. He released two jazz albums through Deutsche Grammophon but neither was well marketed or got wide play.
To get a wider appreciation of this extraordinary artist, and remember his sheer sense of fun, you’ve got to watch these videos.
Bebopping with Bobby
Being himself
He’s a wonderful singer, that’s for sure, and the world will miss him, but this just isn’t his repertoire. With so many wonderful jazz singers in the world… why do this poor cabaret imitation schtick? And the arrangements are a bit hokey also. Who’s the orchestra in the first one? They are truly awful. His Winterreise is one of the most powerful things I have ever heard. This stuff, on the other hand, is the sort of thing most people leave in the shower. If he weren’t Thomas Quasthoff we’d never be listening to it.
Also, Norman: “one of the great baritone’s few regrets IS…” He’s not dead yet, much as you love reaching for the panegyric.