Just when you’ve just about given up on jazz ever being lyrical and melodic again, up step two vets that bring class and style back into vogue. Bassist Dave Holland, who’s been doing some fantastic duet work of late, teams up with Kenny Barron, who’s own trio is impressive in its own right, completing the trio with Johnathan Blake, Barron’s drummer for the past number of years. The three mix and match originals with some jazz standards, with the result a sophisticated swinger.
The three do a couple of bossas, one of Barron’s non-guilty pleasures, simmering on “Porto Alegrea” and the elegant “Until Then” that is introduced by a sublime solo by Barron. Barron and Holland do some wonderful work with Blake providing moody mallets on a floating read of “Warm Valley” with Holland giving a hip bass line on the sprinting “Speed Trap”. Barron’s allegiance to Thelonious Monk is evident on the Spherical “Without Deception” with wonderful quirky harmonics as well as a read of Monk’s own “Worry Later” that is given a hip Latin feel. Blake gets a place in the spotlight on a tribute to legendary drummer Ed Blackwell as he snaps at the snares on a wild and fun ride. These guys make it sound easy, but if it were, why don’t more albums sound like this?