The marrow of jazz, the piano trio, is well exhibited on these two releases.
Pianist Emmet Cohen joins with Ron Carter/b and Evan Sherman/dr for gif in Vancouver, BC on June 29, 2017. The team is classy and elegant as Sherman brushes with civility on “All of You” and Cohen teams with Carter for some baroque bop on “Holy Land.” The team shows the wisdom and patience of age as they are dreamy on “Any Old Time” and pasory on “Light Blue” with the team bopping Mid Eastern blues on “Hatzi Kaddish.” Carter gets the spotlight as he solos on “Ron Carter Speaks” before harkening to his days with Miles Davis on a chrome polished take of “Joshua.” Jazz trio workshop.
Ben McDonald/p, Aaron Holthus/b and John Sturino/dr combine for mostly self penned material for some creative post modern thoughts. The team shows some Latin persuasion on the urgent “Between Poverty and the Sun” and with the coaxing of Sturino’s cymbals, gets reflective on an edgy “In Light of Recent Events.” McDonald reflects Debussyesque impressionism during “Sublunary Hymn” and with Holthus’ bouncy bass, the trio swings on “Eso Papa’.” Modern and traditional.