Love is here to stay (G.Gershwin) 
Somebody Loves Me (G.Gershwin)
J.S. Bach in my dreams (J.S.Bach-M.Cupara)
Lullaby for G.B (G.Bregovic - FChopin, arr. M.Cupara)
Critique
REVIEWS OF CD's ‘PIECES OF A DREAM' (Dž. Geršvin) AND ‘FROM BACH TO BREGOVIĆ'
Miroslav Cupara is certainly a completely exceptional jazz pianist. In this country there have been very few pianists who have got to know so many works of world music literature so thoroughly, both through their education and by playing them. He has managed to merge this knowledge with his prime interest in jazz in a very original way. What I find personally fascinating, as a pianist as well as a professor, is his sense of tone, beautiful piano tone, which is extremely rare in jazz pianists whose performance is based on rhythm, non legato technique in which piano tone and nuances don't matter at all. This is what makes him different from all the others. He is inspired by Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Bregović, H. Hanckock, C. Porter... but in a completely unusual way. He sometimes improvises on a given music theme, and sometimes he doesn't, using the collage or mosaic technique in composing. Having played a part of a Bach fugue, a Debussy's prelude or a mazurka by Chopin, he goes over to jazz, which contains not only improvisation, but a composition whole, where you will be able to discern some elements of the composition which inspired him. Pay particular attention to his beautiful piano tone, phrasing and nuances. They are something you definitely won't hear in the performance of any other pianist, from this country or any other in the world.
Žika Jovanovic, professor, M.A.
I have dedicated all the compositions from this album to Goran Bregović, the music idol of my early childhood. Various styles and genres, often fused into one compositional form, are largely permeated by, and composed under the influence of, the way of thinking and compositional techniques that Bregovic has been applying for so long with such great success. His talent, musicality, guitar phrasing, rhythmic agogica went over the borders of ex-YU region long ago and conquered the hearts of countless music lovers with different tastes all over the world. Of the numerous influences of different composers such as Bach, Chopin. Debussy, Hancock, Peterson, Evans, the influence of Bregović is evident in my performance and composition. It flows through a large number of compositions on this album, as a style, a way of phrasing and a leitmotif.
Anyway, Brega has marked a period in the music history and left a myriad of brilliant compositions that will outlive both him and us.
Cupara Miroslav, prof. spec.
Clear compositional forms, technical precision, sense of improvisation, and soft and warm tone is what characterizes this music material. I am happy to be able to recommend this undoubtedly authentic CD by Miroslav Cupara.
Rade Radivojević, composer
Some musicians really love their job and there are others who do their job conscientiously, professionally and who only occasionally feel a light excitement as a pigeon before mating. Miroslav Cupara belongs to the first group, the group of true musicians who love what they create as well as what they paraphrase or merely listen to - music is simply a bare necessity of life like the oxygen, water or love without which life is not worth living.
Miroslav Cupara is a seeker. He roams free in the music universe hunting for ideas. He adores Bach, but he also loves Bregović, not because his name begins with a "B" but because according to Miroslav Cupara his romantic sensibility matches Chopin's. To him, Debussy is actually a great "'eccentric", an impressionist, a non-conformist -in a word the first one with original ideas which are to be respected and inspired by.
The spaces Miroslav visits with his muses are far, wide and green-evergreen if you wish. Old melodies like "It's only pepper moon", "Candy", "Body and Soul" and many others already recorded in the catalogue of eternal memory have acquired a new glory enwrapped in his style. Miroslav Cupara is a hard-working bee, playing music and making honey in his own way, swiftly, humorously and imaginatively. I wish him good luck with his CD.
Prof. FMU, composer
Konstantin Babić
Genuine enthusiasm and professional competence together with a truly artistic feeling for historical styles of popular music and jazz are features witch make the young Belgrade pianist Miroslav Cupara excel in the visions of George Gershwin`s greatest hits.
Vlastimir Trajkovic
Composer.Chief of the Composition and Orhestration
Department of the Belgrade`s Faculty of Music
In front of you there is an interesting CD with 12 jazz variations for piano of well known George Gershwin`s melodies with is the author of CD a young pianist Miroslav Cupara, named Pieces of a Dream. Miroslav has an excellent technique and a sense for improvisiation, witch enables him to indulge freely in his imagination and and to turn his “musical dream” into reality, a brilliant jazz rhapsody.
His idols are the best jazz pianist in the world such as Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, although, considering the so-called “straight”style, he reminds me most of Erroll Garner.
I highly recommend this CD to all the admires of jazz as well as to the pianists of classical music who can reveal the secrets and beauties of jazz.
Vojislav Simic
Condactor