As I always say, if it were so easy, why doesn’t everyone do it? This trio session by Bill Charlap with Peter Washington/b and Kenny Washington/dr sounds like a soundtrack from another era. The tunes are clever, melodic and uncluttered; “I’ll Remember April” and “The Sunny Side Of The Street” have been done a billion times, yet Charlap makes them sound fresh and alive, with a trio version on the former and a tasty solo on the latter. No overly complex multi note runs, not cacophonic or discordant attacks to the piano; “Tiny’s Tempo” and “A Sleepin’ Bee” are nimble little boppers that have confidence in the songs’ basic ingredients, and Charlap just adds the right seasoning to bring out the proper flavor.
And like the best of flame keepers, he finds some rich sleepers; “Make Me Rainbows” is an obscure ditty that has the team laying down a rivulet of rhythm, while “There Is No Music” adheres to the “less is more” adage of letting space play the notes. This band is the Kenny Rogers of jazz trios, knowing when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. This session is no gamble, but a sure thing.
He’ll be playing at Catalina’s May 6-8. Guaranteed good vibes.
Impulse! Records