came up with his Play Bach conceptions while still in the conservatory around 1950. He started recording them in 1959, and he's been at it ever since, adapting other composers along the way, but always returning to . It made sense then, and it makes sense now, for 's linear, continuo-driven, style has always implied a swinging pulse; even some inspired, if strictly score-bound recordings of sound as if they are poised for takeoff. These recordings are not the originals, though; they are remakes made in France in the mid-'90s (from and ) and compiled by a decade later to coincide with 's 70th birthday year. No real surprises here; the repertory is mostly basic-repertoire favorites, which alternates straight playing with straight-ahead, elegant, rhythm-shifting elaborations for piano trio. The main difference between the 1990s and his best-sellers from decades before is his willingness to occasionally update his adaptations with newer rhythms that didn't exist then (check out the playfully funky from the ). Nevertheless, listeners are so used to hearing peddled in so many different idioms and wardrobes that it is impossible to hear anything radical in this concept anymore -- and certainly not since fellow pianist 's wacky, eclectic raised the bar for outrageously entertaining adaptations in 2000. Nothing much to report about the surround mix -- basically room ambience in the rear channels. But the piano has an appealingly robust, full-bodied in SACD, more like that of a live instrument than on the original CDs, though the drums register more clearly on CD. This was released only as a hybrid SACD disc -- 's first experiment with a single inventory title -- so don't go hunting for a stereo CD-only version; it doesn't exist. ~ Richard S. Ginell