Myriam Alter

It Takes Two Myriam Alter

Coming from a Judeo-Spanish family Myriam Alter received her first classical piano tuition at age 8 in Thessaloniki where she was was raised with many kinds of music, Latin, Italian, Oriental, South American, the Classics. At age 15 she stopped practicing but returned to it when she was 36. She discovered her skill to composing and approached romantic moods but later found her way into jazz.

When she founded a quartet and later a quintet she got fine reviews especially for her compositions. More recordings followed until she wrote the music that expressed ,,who she was" as her first album with ENJA shows, IF (ENJ-9451) with Dino Saluzzi bandoneon and Joey Baron drums - a worldwide success. Later followed Where is There (ENJ-9513) featuring Jacques Morelenbaum cello and Salvatore Bonafede piano, and finally Crossways (ENJ-9526), an excellent septet album with European artists, among them the great Belgian bassplayer Nicolas Thys. This led to the fourth recording for ENJA, It Takes Two (ENJ-9680) , a duet recording with Nicolas Thys in summer 2019.

John Ephland (DOWNBEAT USA) in his liner notes states: " The music of It Takes Two bespeaks of more elemental musical qualities and less about altered chords, intricate arrangements, rhythmic complexity than we are usually used to. Alter has offered to take the lucky listener on a journey out of time in these intimate, revealing duets with the marvellously sympathetic Belgian bassist Nicolas Thys. The pathways of ITT take us through turns and sudden twists that keep us in a constant wonder."