The enduring feature of jazz piano trios is that they are flexible enough to take you to a myriad of places. Here are two excursions.
If piano trios are New York, then the Mike Jones trio of Katie Thiroux/b and Matt Witek/dr is downtown Manhattan. Jones has a classy touch that is both stately and swinging, showing style on “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” and displaying dancing digits on “Home.” His left hand boogies with the best on the strident “I Found A New Baby” and emphasizes the blues hues on “Mean To Me.” He does a solo treatment of “ What’ll I Do” that is luminous, and veers around Thiroux’s bass on “Am I Blue” with the style of Gene Kelly. This is a keeper!
Move up to Spanish Harlem, and you get the sounds from the trio of Leco Reis/b, Cidinho Teixeira/p and Edson Ferreira/dr. Brazilian grooves have Ferreira working overtime on “Samba Da Lira” and “Passarim.” Teixera displays festive fingers on “A Ra” and the revival of the 60s hit “Ginga Do Mane” bounces with delight. The interplay of these three is a kinetic wonder, mixing melody with dynamic and irresistible rivulets of rhythm.
Capri Records
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