Pianist Lafayette Harris delivers classy and classic trio work with Lewis Nash/dr and Peter Washington/b on this collection of covers and bookending originals. Hi sstride is strong on the romantically slow and seductive “Teach Me Tonight” while he waltzes through an all bluesy read of “ Living For The City”. Nash’s high hat hums on the fun calypso of “St. Thomas” and drives a heavy backbeat to an energetic “Stardust”. Washington is elegant on Ellington’s “Solitude” and the leader is easy on the swing set for the title tune and “Nat’s Blues”. Dressing up for going out.
The threesome of Paul Barrilles/dr, Jimmy Farace/bari and Stephen Parisi Jr/b put together a musical mosaic of sounds and ideas through mostly original compositions. Farace’s tone is big and sonorous, getting visceral on the subtonal “Thinking of Crimson Skies” while giving hints of Gerry Mulligan coolness on””Cloudsplitter” and the title tune. Parisi takes the lead and front on the pulsating “Orange Lilac” and grooves with Barrilles for “The Newness Of You” with the team digging into more assertive pieces like the modal “Lock The Door” and “Abandoned Name Tag”. Open spaces for free range running.PianistJoe Locasio teams up with bassist David Craig and drummer Tim Solook for interpretations of compositions from the pen o f Phil Gurlik. Except for the extroverted “Salience”, the songs have a similar feel of gentle melodicism. There’s a grace to “Comes Around” and “Artifact” that never overstays its welcome, with Locasio presenting warm intros to pieces such as “Amber Room”. Solook’s brushes skate on “November” and Craig is ebullient on “Lost River Waltz”. Tender mercies.