Michel Petrucciani--Looking Up

Michel Petrucciani’s original composition Looking Up (Petrucciani M. , Music, 1989) is a bright piece filled with joy and positivity. It became one of his most well-known songs and he even played it on top of a skyscraper in New York (Willemsen, 1995). In my opinion this is one of his most interesting and beautiful compositions. There are several reasons why I think so. First  of all  the  melody  is  strong  and  playful  like  a  children’s  song  and  can  be  easily remembered. The atmosphere of the song feels very open and relaxed because of long notes in the  melody.  Underneath  the  melody  there  are  beautiful  jazz  harmonies  written,  which Petrucciani plays as an ongoing montuno pattern in his left hand. Combined with the driving drums and bass this creates a very full and strong effect. The form of the song is unusual, since there are three parts with the main melody which end differently every time and it is quite long. The tonal center of the song is E major, which is also unusual for a jazz composition. With all these elements combined together, I believe you have a recipe for a great composition. Understanding Michel Petrucciani’s by Philippe Ramaekers

A Search for the Sound and Touch of a Jazz Pianist