STEFANO BOLLANI TRIO - Stone In The Water

I struggle with words, they either flow in jumbled torrents or it’s like pulling teeth to find two of them to put together that make sense. When I hear a CD like Stefano Bollani’s Stone In The Water they seem like peripheral, blunt instruments. My review heroes are people like John Fordham of the Guardian who says everything that needs to be said and more in 150 words so as an exercise I’m going to try.

Bollani, (b.1972) is one in a line of great Italian jazz pianists that includes another favourite Enrico Pieranunzi and more recently the Alboran Trio, who blend the contemporary jazz tradition with European classical and folk influences and tones of Latin flavour. In this set he includes a Jobim; Brigas Nunca Mais, a Poulenc; Improvisation 13 en la Mineur and some memorable originals from him and his Danish rhythm section Jesper Bodilsen, bass and Morten Lund, drums. Romantic lyricism is the focus here played with such a tender unsentimental gentleness and inner conviction of what beauty can be when heard, that it feels like a definitive statement on the matter. Unlike the quirky slightly esoteric interpretations on his previous solo piano release, here Bollani is setting out to communicate with a broader brush and shared empathy required of the trio format. There’s an assured mood of confidence, mastery and story-telling that pervades each tune that will stand the test of time. Bollani is letting us into his world note by note and Stone In The Water lets us know that it’s going to be a beautiful place to explore.

OK, so 186 words and a bit stiff methinks. Any tips John? Anyone?

TIM ALLHOFF TRIO - Prelude

Just when you think things couldn’t get any better more often than not a surprise is waiting that opens a new vista of listening stimuli. That surprise is the German Tim Allhoff Trio – Prelude – his maiden CD. Now let’s get something straight here – we (and I include myself here) need to develop a new vocabulary for the new post Mehldau/EST generation pianists and trios that frames them in current times on their own terms. It’s no longer enough to start reviews with ‘the list’ – this new breed of piano trio needs to be listened to in today's context. I love Tim Allhoff’s trio including the easily anarchic Bastian Jutte on drums and risk taking skydiver Andreas Kurz on bass. Tim’s vision is clear on evergreen Long Ago and Far Away that starts with a contemporary rock block chord intro that seamlessly converts to up-tempo brushes on snare and fleet fingered in and out of tempo right hand lines that anyone from Count Basie to Cecil Taylor would have been proud of. Seven and a half minutes of relentless deep swinging improvisation, the trio sounding like a unit of momentum that could take on any New York basement jazz club and melt the paint off the walls. Thanks to the current renaissance of the piano trio (of course driven by Mehldau, EST et al), bands like Tim’s can now embrace all styles without fear of recrimination, out moded-ness or not fitting into a particular marketing box.

His beautifully nimble left hand often fills in much more than the voicings to the harmony - sometimes Bach-like, sometimes Tatum-like, he can pull off a cover of Don’t Speak simply because he’s not afraid to keep busy and creative in both hands - I really admire his creativity and risk taking. The beautifully measured but complex Ikkakuju sees the trio at their best, contrapuntal lines from bass and piano underpinned (I actually mean ‘overpinned’) by the fleet, textured drumming of Jutte. There’s a lot to get into here listening after listening. The originals show a level of thought and care that’s heartwarming to hear. When you read titles like Waltz For Jane Austen and Song For Mrs Jonathan Brisby you know you’re in the hands of someone who draws inspiration from a deep well full of contemporary themes, humour and new perspectives. When you get to the brilliantly shining Ohne Titel, the trio does eventually lay down some new trio trademark unison bass and left hand piano lines but Jutte’s drums and Allhoff’s right hand keep it interesting and complex, never tedious. And then, just when you were wondering how they'd make it to the finish line, the trio lays an utterly sublime and dignified version of Don’t Explain on you to conclude the set, that serves as a reminder of the roots and routes all good jazz musicians have studied and followed, you know that all this – all this fine iridescent music - is the beginning of something special. The over three minute solo coda is like a whole new chapter appended to this beautiful old standard that would have made even Lady Day sigh. Dang! seriously good music herein.