The Othello Syndrome

The Othello Syndrome
Studio album by Uri Caine Ensemble
Released	October 26, 2008
Recorded	February 2005 to March 2008
Genre	Contemporary classical music, Jazz
Length	75:23
Label	Winter & Winter 910 135–2
Producer	Stefan Winter
Uri Caine chronology
Pure Affection (2007) The Othello Syndrome (2008) Secrets (2009)

The Othello Syndrome is an album by pianist Uri Caine featuring compositions based on excerpts from Giuseppe Verdi's opera Otello which was released on the Winter & Winter label in 2008.[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
PopMatters	[3]

In his review for Allmusic, Ken Dryden notes that "Opera fans without a sense of humor will scoff at this recording, but Caine shows a love of the music, even in his madcap charts".[2] PopMatters correspondent Will Layman said "The Othello Syndrome, Caine's zany take on Verdi's 1887 opera, is Caine's most consistently focused classical project and, plainly, one of the very best".[3] On the website All About Jazz, C. Michael Bailey wrote, "The Othello Syndrome is Uri Caine at his mad scientist best: conjuring music from a million different places and making it sound like it was with you at home all the time".[4] JazzTimes reviewer, Perry Tannenbaum, observed "The Othello Syndrome is obviously a meticulously crafted piece. While its daring and eclecticism will no doubt spark lively controversy, its heart points up the beauty of Verdi's score".[5]

Track listing

All compositions by Uri Caine after Giuseppe Verdi

1. "Othello's Victory" – 3:39
2. "Fire Song" – 4:56
3. "Drinking Song" – 4:25
4. "Love Duet with Othello and Desdemona" – 8:28
5. "Introduction to Act II" – 2:49
6. "Jago's Credo" – 4:42
7. "She's the Only One I Love" – 6:02
8. "Jago's Web" – 3:55
9. "Desdemona's Lament" – 4:44
10. "Am I a Fool?" – 5:18
11. "The Lion of Venice" – 3:53
12. "Othello's Confession" – 3:25
13. "The Willow Song / Ave Maria" – 7:41
14. "Murder" – 4:17
15. "The Death of Othello" – 5:05

Personnel

• Uri Caine – piano, keyboards
• Ralph Alessi – trumpet
• Achille Succi, Chris Speed – clarinet
• Joyce Hammann – violin
• Nguyên Lê – guitar
• Tim Lefebvre – bass, electric bass
• John Hebert bass
• Jim Black, Zach Danziger – drums
• Bruno Fabrizio Sorba, Stefano Bassanese – electronics
• Bunny Sigler (tracks 1, 4, 7, 10 & 15), Dhafer Youssef (tracks 1 & 14), Josefine Lindstrand (tracks 4, 9 & 13) – vocals
• Julie Patton (tracks 4 & 14), Marco Paolini (tracks 6 & 8), Sadiq Bey (tracks 6, 12 & 14) – voice

References

1. Uri Caine discography. Retrieved February 11, 2014
2. Dryden, Ken. Uri Caine Ensemble – The Othello Syndrome > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
3. Layman, W., PopMatters Review, August 24, 2008
4. Bailey, C. M., All About Jazz Review, August 29, 2008
5. Tannenbaum, P., Uri Caine Ensemble: The Othello Syndrome Review, JazzTimes, December 2008