Ah! The corpuscles of jazz-the piano trio! And even better, circulating in the arteries of jazz clubs. Here are two wonderful examples of what marrow can produce…Joey Calderazzo is best known as the pianist/composer/anchor leg for Branford Marsalis’ quartet. He’s released some fantastic stuff on his own, and this gig caught at that jazz hotbed of the Daly Jazz Club of Missoula, Montana is a joy to consume. Pieces like the intricate “Rainbow” and the angular “Trieste” have Calderazzo’s unaccompanied openings creating wondrous and romantic moods on the ivories, while everyone simmers on the cooking “The MIghty Sword.” A dark and bluesy “To Be Confirmed” leads into a flowing “The Meaning of the Blues” with marvelous hues of the lower end of the rainbow hovering over the earth. Calderazzo shows his muscle on Bill Evans’ Time Remembered” and the whole band of Orlando Le Fleming/b and Donald Edwards/dr works together like members of Tag Team Wrestling. Marvelous music.
Pianist Edward Simon gets together with the Wayne Shorter’s rhythm team of John Patitucci/b and Brian Blade/dr for a selection of originals and jazz standards that gives everyone to stretch out and show their wares. Pieces like Simon’s own “Poesia” simmers with latin fluidity, while Blades’ cymbal work is conversant with the leader’s ivories. A brooding “Pathless Path” works through a deep morass, while Simon delivers a glowing intro to “Giant Steps” before the band pops into 2nd and 3rd gear, but never going into overdrive. The closing “Pere” demonstrates intricate handwork like doubles on a racquetball court, with wonderful ricochete shots coming off of the corner walls.
Sunnyside Records