Nina Simone is another musician who permeated her music with very clear influences from Bach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WHHW8PrF6Q

Yes. Her life story is really heartbreaking, wanting to become a classical pianist but being told that being black and playing classical music at the same time just wouldn't do. I'm of two minds on this - as I've written before on HN -, sad as it is that she did not follow her chosen path in the end it gave us her own material which to me is just as dear of not dearer. My all time favorite song is 'wild is the wind'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Gx0wYim8Y

Amazing song, guaranteed to give me gooseflesh no matter how many times I've heard it.

Indeed! Especially in Blues Variations, which is - like the Golderg Variations - a theme-and-variation form. But like the WTC and AoF, it ends in a 4 voice fugue. All on a blues theme =)

Amazing music. Been listening to it on repeat for a while now... After you posted the link I went and googled her, found her own compositions and I absolutely love them.

If you have time: please research Friedrich Gulda and if Kimiko isn't aware of him yet please introduce her to his music, he went through a similar path, originally classically trained eventually went for his own style. Here is a sample:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua11GSiTPXg

Lots of jazz from him as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrphQPtjWJw

Maybe she will like it (or maybe you will :) ). Thank you again!

We love Gulda!

What is your opinion on Brad Mehldau - After Bach? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MZw6XI-b6Q

Brad Mehldau is Kimiko's absolute favorite jazz pianist. His mastery of harmony and his impeccable piano technique really speaks to her.

Heh, cool. The terrorist-pianist strikes again.