Claude Bolling - Picnic Suite (Picnic-Quintet)

Information

Composer: Claude Bolling

1. Picnic Suite: I. Rococo
2. Picnic Suite: II. Madrigal
3. Picnic Suite: III. Gaylancholic
4. Picnic Suite: IV. Fantastique
5. Picnic Suite: V. Canon
6. Picnic Suite: VI. Tendre
7. Picnic Suite: VII. Badine

Picnic-Quintet

    Yuliana Padalko, flute

    Olga Zaikina, piano

    Dmitry Andreyev, guitar

    Vajid Mukhamedjanov, double bass

    Denis Lyubakov, percussion

Date: 2025

Label: Melodiya

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The Moscow-based Picnic Quintet is recognized for performing rare repertoire that bridges jazz and classical traditions. On its new album, the ensemble presents the complete Picnic Suite by French composer and pianist Claude Bolling, a seven-movement work from 1980 renowned for its stylistic synthesis. Combining classical guitar and flute with a jazz trio, the suite merges baroque-inspired dialogue with rich jazz harmonies. Praised by the ensemble’s leader Dmitry Andreev as a vivid musical journey through diverse eras and landscapes, the work is seldom performed in full due to its scale. Picnic Quintet stands as the only Russian ensemble to have made the complete suite a central focus of its artistic identity.

The Picnic Quintet is a Moscow-based ensemble specializing in the Akadem Jazz style, combining classical and jazz traditions. The group consists of pianist Olga Zaikina, double bassist Vadzhid Mukhamedzhanov, drummer Denis Lyubakov, guitarist Dmitry Andreev, and flutist Yuliana Padalko. Alongside regular concert activity, the ensemble places strong emphasis on educational outreach, presenting diverse programs for both adult and young audiences. Their wide-ranging repertoire spans jazz, classical crossover, and Latin music, including works by Claude Bolling, Astor Piazzolla, Dave Brubeck, and others. In 2024, the quintet released its debut recording on Melodiya Records, featuring Sergei Vasilenko’s five-movement suite Spring.

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