Eugen Cicero - critics reverently called him the man with the "golden hands". Over 40 years, his name stood for pianistic virtuosity, phenomenal sense of rhythm and imaginative ingenuity. On the other side of the Iron Curtain, he discovered swing as an authoritative source of inspiration, and in the sixties, on a tour in Berlin, he personally immersed himself in the vibrant European jazz scene for the first time. After this key experience, Cicero developed his personal, unmistakable style, the so-called classic swing, by means of which he was able to cast mainstream jazz and classical music into a new harmonic form. He masterfully connected works from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods with sophisticated harmonic sequences from jazz and an infectious rhythm - no one who had attempted such symbioses before him achieved a similarly inspired and technically accomplished result. It is astonishing that both, followers of the jazz camp and representatives of classical european music are equally loyal to him, not least because of his tasteful and careful selection of repertoire. On more than 70 records, Eugen Cicero succeeded in some pioneering work, including recordings with the Berlin and Munich Philharmonic Orchestras. In 1976 he won the German Record Prize for arrangements of Schubert compositions. With "Bucharest 1994", IN+OUT Records now presents a very special live event by this man who has created something unique in his mediation between classical music and jazz standards. This is the first concert with exceptional bassist Decebal Badila, which layed under lock and key for 28 years. Already at a young age, Badila adored the music of his older compatriot and was already very familiar with Cicero's repertoire before their first meeting, which can impressively be heard on the recordings. On that day, a long-cherished dream came true for him. 1995 Badila gained worldwide recognition with his first solo album "Nothing But Bass". Together with "Archibald's Dance" (2001) he created milestones in the development of the electric bass guitar and established himself as one of the leading masters on his instrument. He toured throughout Europe with international jazz greats and has been a regular member of the SWR Big Band since 1998. Until Cicero's early death in 1997, the two remained faithful to each other and played concerts and festivals all over Europe. Badila was even accompanied by Cicero at his now legendary exam concert in 1996. The present recording testifies the blind understanding of the two musicians. The listener is led through a delightful, exciting and varied programme that spans the classical arc from Scarlatti to Mozart to Liszt, while skilfully weaving in great jazz standards. "Bucharest 1994" contains both entertaining, technically demanding and documentarily indispensable material from the early work of a rising virtuoso musician and the late work of an exceptional artist whom the jazz world lost far too early.
