Piano trios are one of the most flexible units in jazz. Here are two that are like rubber bands.
Pianist Uri Caine teams up with drummer Clarence Penn and bassist Mark Helias for a freewheeling collection of originals. The themes and styles change rapidly and stay for a short time throughout the 15 concise pieces. Some are hard hitting modal moods such as “Manhatta” while others feel like first impressions of free form food fights as on “Scatterbrain Suite” and “Night Wrestler.” Caine’s touch is strong and controlled no matter the mood, and while the three don’t take much time to develop the themes and ideas, they do seem to enjoy throwing the ideas around to see if anything is worth holding on to.
Kevin Hays leads a team of Rob Jost/b-uk and Greg Joseph/dr through a mix of originals and standards. The strings strum on an intro to a dark and galloping read of “Scrapple From The Apple” and there is delicate tip toeing on “Violetta” and the quiet “Morning.” Dark shadows are cast on Where Did You Sleep” and Jost throbs like he’s got a tourniquet on the funky “Sweet Caroline.” Some prismatic romanticism reflects on “Schumann’s Chamisso” and the read of ” I’ll Remember April” is filled with percussive plucking. Harmonies and textures abound on this mixture.