There are a ton of piano trios out there in the Naked City. Here are a few:
Omer Klein leads a very impressive one here with Haggai Cohen-Milo/b and Amir Bresler/dr on this collection of originals plus one. He’s got a nice touch on the ivory, fun and buoyant. He pecks on the keys with joy on the clever “Fearless Friday” and gives an Israeli take on gospel music on the soulful “Shwaye Shwaye.” A touch of Middle East dancing sounds almost latin on “Niggun” while he winds like a serpent around Bresler’s drums on “Dimensions.” His reading of Duke Ellington’s “Azure” has a wonderful glow about it, complemented by subtle tom toms, while he gives a dash of classical tones withCohen-Milo’s creative bass on “I Guess That’s Why They Call It Falling.” They have the ability to deliver evocative moods as on the gentle “Calla Lily” and the meditative “Tears On A Bionic Cheek.” A fresh breeze in the trio vein.
The team of Pier Luigi Salami/p, Martin D Fowler/b and Shawn Crowder/dr take the classic form of piano trio but add effects and electronic synthesizers to each instrument. The mix works well, with the extra colors making you feel as if a guitarist was added to the ensemble at times. The material, almost all composed by Salami, is fresh, light and filled with easy on the ears melodies. Except for “East River” which stretches out for 11 minutes, the material stays within the 3-6 minute range, with tunes like “Life Of A Dugong” and ”Back Home” feeling like a pop tune melody or a theme for a soundtrack. Very accessible, coherent solos that weave well with the themes, and a tenderness on tunes such tunes as “Into The Skyline” and “Once Again” that you can’t help appreciating the soft heart of the composer and team.
Relative youngster Adam Birnbaum teams up with veteran Doug Weiss/b and legendary drummer Al Foster for nine originals that display lots of simpatico. Birnbaum’s got a glassy touch, making it sound a bit elliptical on the skating “Dream Waltz” and dark on “Dream song #1” while having a Monk mood on the jovial “Thirty Three.” Foster is in ride cymbal heaven as he taps out rich grooves on the pulsing “Rockport Moon” and the semi-samba “Kizuna.” The team shows how the gel in 4th gear on “Ooh, What You Do To Me” while Weiss’ nimble bass has the team bopping on the medium tempo pieces like “Binary.” Impressive!
Daedalus Records