LAST FLOURISH OF 2010 - Part 5

DJANGO BATES TRIO - Beloved Bird

Had to wait until I was I the UK to buy this but it was worth it. Never heard such beautiful renditions of the Bird canon. The close to 20 minute Ah-Leu-Cha is quite possibly Django's most daring and beautiful musical statement thus far in his illustrious career.

PETER ROSENDAL TRIO - Pica-pau

New latin flavours from one of my favourite european trios - a mature and strident disk bringing in guitar and clarinet making this one of the pleasant surprises of 2010 and a wonderful addition to my ever growing Peter Rosendal collection.

JASON MORAN TRIO - Ten

Towering release from Moran that will top many 'best of 2010' lists for jazz and music in general such is his scope, appeal and intention. This really rocks in rhythm.

GERALD CLAYTON TRIO - two-shade

I was lucky not to miss this great energising disk (thanks to the jazz breakfast). At tempo or funking it up, Clayton and his super tight trio are a new thoughtful swinging addition to the genre.

HELGE LIEN TRIO - Hello troll

The master of time and touch, Lien's new disk is yet another musical treat from Norway to add to his ever growing collection of top draw trio making.

VIJAY IYER TRIO - Historicity

How wonderful to discover Vijay this year and enter his unique musical world. Important new sounds in music that you must check out if you haven't already.

ANDRE MEHMARI TRIO - Lachrimae

My tears do indeed flow at the extreme beauty of Brazilian Mehmari and his exquisite touch - my new and latest discovery I'm so happy to have found to make 2010 possibly the richest seam of trio music of my life so far.

LAST FLOURISH OF 2010 - Part 4

BILL CHARLAP TRIO - Live at the Village Vanguard

Precision engineered, highly swinging trio whether at ballad or extreme fast tempo. Charlap's technique is a wonder to behold and although it could easily be the main feature, he keeps it in check to serve its purpose of underpinning wonderfully realised piano jazz.

ANDERS CHRISTENSEN TRIO - Dear Someone

Don't let the Dylan inspired cover fool you, this is highly inspired contemporary jazz featuring the stella bassist and one of my favourites Aaron Parks on piano. With some unusual cross genre covers this memorable collection is confidently played with the utmost focus and soulful exposition.

FRANK KIMBROUGH TRIO - Rumors

Another stunning collection from my new favourite Frank Kimbrough. I'll buy anything he plays sight unseen, as he weaves new textures and resonances from the trio format in his own quiet fashion while others pick up the trio fad prizes.

PABLO HELD TRIO - Music

Leading man in the German piano trio tide, Held's follow up to Forest of Oblivion, sees him confidently tackling new material and opening his shoulders even more to the musical world he's beginning to shape.

ROBERT MITCHELL TRIO - The Greater Good

I can't believe this is the first British trio I've reviewed! Mitchell's 3io drips with soulful re-interpretations, Debussy-esque impressions and beautifully sustained tempos of mood and ambience. Recording feels like you're sitting next to him wrapped up in the sonic world they create here - wonderfully new loungey trio sounds.

RONNIE LYNN PATTERSON TRIO - Music

The second CD called Music in this batch. Patterson along with Kimbrough represent to me the current apex of jazz piano trio music making. This, his latest collection of undiluted emotions rendered with the fingers of a saint, is unmissable.

CURIOS - The other place

Following on from the equally wonderfully played Closer and Hidden, I love the Curios approach to the trio. Never ones to lean on familiar props, they constantly look for the new angle whilst never losing a complete understanding and ability to play notes that take a short cut to the soul.

GWILYM SIMCOCK - Blues Vignette

A masterpiece recording from Simcock. Utterly beautiful music in every sense. Don't let the ice of the cover mislead you - herein are some pieces of trio music that will entrap your senses in a delight of different moods all played with Simcock's fine mastery and a stella trio.

LAST FLOURISH OF 2010 - Part 3

GIOVANNI MIRABASSI TRIO - Out of track

I thought I knew a bit about Italian piano jazz - wrong! My new discovery Mirabassi stuns with this lesson in beauty and pianistic elegance interwoven with bass strings and drum skins.

GUILLAUME DE CHASSY TRIO - Faraway, so close

Lessons in impressionism and reflection - with moods from Faure to Pink Floyd to Carla Bley, I can't fault a single note on this CD.

GREG REITAN TRIO - Some other time

The ignorant might say Bill Evans copyist, I say gifted trio-tician who pays homage to the great trio but resolutely re-defines himself in the light of modernity and with the aid of the springs in his supple fingers.

STEPHEN ANDERSON TRIO - Nation-Degeneration

Whether an ode to the fast decaying planet or America's economic melt down , don't be fooled by the images or message. This is pinpoint accurate piano trio-ism from a master educator who seems to be comfortable at any tempo or mood.

LAST FLOURISH OF 2010 - Part 2

FRANK KIMBROUGH TRIO - Play

A totally new discovery for me - American Frank Kimbrough's Play is a master class in contemporary jazz trio with bluesy inflections, meditative explorations and melodic infusions with a complete encyclopaedic approach to the in and out of the genre. Buy it now.

FRED HERSH TRIO - Whirl

Long time favourite with new CD after long illness. More rounded edges and less brittle phrasing make this my favourite of Fred's for a long time. Top of the genre. Don't hesitate.

JEF NEVE - Soul in the picture

What can I say? Game changer Neve in beautifully constructed trio record of adventure and risk that leaves you with the feeling that the world needs to heave a collective sigh after the last note fades. Hyper recommended.

RONNIE LYNN PATTERSON TRIO - Mississppi

Can you believe Patterson is self taught? This album is one of the reasons why I've changed to these new short format reviews - I had to make space and time in my world to listen to more Ronnie Lynn Patterson to enrich it beyond my wildest expectations.

LAST FLOURISH OF 2010 - Part 1

I've been totally awash with new and amazing trio records recently that I just can't sustain the three paragraph review any longer. I don't actually think I was much of a writer in any case. So from now on and for the foreseeable future I will just post my recommendations with the CD cover and some short text. If the album appears here it means I'd recommend buying it sight unseen/unheard and ask you to just revel in the TRIO RIOT that seems to be pervading the planet. Piano, bass, drums = nirvana.

AARON GOLDBERG TRIO - Home

Beautifully rendered trio setting with added tenor sax from the divine and very much in demand Mark Turner on several tracks. Measured but beautiful and Goldberg is not afraid to rock either with renditions of Monk and Wonder that will enthral.

BENJAMIN SCHAEFER TRIO - Roots and Wings

When will the German trio invasion end? Just when you thought they ruled the roost along comes the gentle but affirmative Benjamin to mix it all up again and set the bar even higher. Sublime.

CESARE PICCO - Light Line

It doesn't come more romantic or angelic than this. I saw him at the Hanoi Opera House this year when he had everyone spellbound with his weaving of light. Highly recommended for anyone who needs to transcend the here and now at least once every 24 hours.

YARON HERMAN TRIO - Follow the white rabbit

I've been a fan of Yaron Herman for a while and was waiting for him to calm down and find his stride. This album is replete with the potential that tells us that we are indeed in the company of one of the new giants of jazz piano and trio.