For the past 10+ years, I’ve had the privilege of voting in Downbeat Magazine in the Critic’s Poll for categories such as “Best Pianist” for the year. I’ll listen to Fred Hersch and think, “He’s the one” but then, I’ll get an album like this one by Denny Zeitlin, caught in a trio gig with the all star team of bassist Buster Williams and drummer Matt Wilson and go “No, gotta go with Zeitlin”, which is why I love being a judge, tormenting over wonderful choices.
Speaking of choice, this album is like a 3” steak cut at Morton’s, filled with flavor, oozing with texture with each bite a treat to the senses. Zeitlin’s fingers and mind have an encyclopedic knowledge of tradition, class and style, delicate and deep on the reflective take of Duke Ellington’s “Star Crossed Lovers” or splashing like his fingers are doing a swan dive like Greg Louganis on a boppy “I Mean You”. His heart gives a salute to the style of Vince Guaraldi on the joyful “10 Bar Tune” while he goes kinetic and dark, even stroking the piano strings on a film noir’d read of Wayne Shorter’s “Paraphernalia”. Williams is likewise a master hear, creating a magma of a deep line on “Echo Of A Kiss” and guiding the caravan of Wilson’s sashaying brushes during “Isfahan” which turns into a seductive bossa.
Each tune selection, each chord and each note makes you feel like Zeitlin is acting like Geppetto, carving a living being that moves, dances and sings out of a piece of wood. Everything comes alive in his hands.