Album: François Couturier, Un Jour Si Blanc (ECM)

How many cultural references does a solo piano album need? Bach, Baudelaire, Der Blaue Reiter, Rimbaud, Tarkovsky, Takemitsu and Benny Hill (OK, I made the last one up) are just some of the names dropped by French pianist Couturier in his brief notes for this debut solo recording.

Of course, the music remains resolutely good, bad or indifferent regardless of the contexts, and while there are a few striking themes among the 17 pieces here, too much lateral, non-directive noodling prevents real communication taking place.