Flutist Janet Axelrod releases a new album, Act One, for flute and piano, featuring the world premiere recording of six works commissioned by Axelrod from Broadway’s most celebrated composers, arrangers and music directors...

Hailed as one of America’s finest flutists, Janet Axelrod is in demand as a Broadway musician, orchestral flutist, chamber musician and contemporary and world flutist. She is a leading recording artist in studios with some of the world’s top entertainers. On Act One, she brings to life new compositions by various composers.

The six new works on the album include 'Touch and Go' by Joshua Rosenblum, 'Jump Scher(z)' by David Chase, 'feuille dans un ruisseau' by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, 'For Harvey… (A Theatrical Fantasy for flute and piano)' by Gary Adler, 'Duet for Flute and Piano No. 1' by Georgia Stitt, and 'Oasis' by Joseph Church. Each piece sees the composer perform on piano, whilst Elizabeth DiFelice appears as guest pianist on 'Oasis'.

What drew me to this release, as well as the fact that I love the flute as an emotive instrument, is how diverse each piece was. It was almost as though these original works were designed to show off a different facet of the complexities of the flute as an instrument.

I have to single out Mary-Mitchell Campbell's 'feuille dans un ruisseau' as this album's most interesting piece. It has a real heart that is difficult to resist. It beautifully showcases Axelrod's ability to turn the flute into an instrument of serenity.

An engaging and well curated collection of intricate pieces.

8

Darren Rea