Doubledown

Reviewed: 2017-08-17
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none

Review: Powerful 2-disc set led by a stellar pianist and his solid trio covering a variety of jazz styles. Originals combined with brilliantly rearranged jazz and rock classics
If You Like: Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Bud Powell, George Cables
Review (favorites denoted by *): (Disc 1) *1/ Smells Like Teen Spirit (5:57) - piano starts> uptempo shifts to slow tempo and back 2/ ECM (3:34) - piano starts> midtempo jam> crescendo end & flourish 3/ Benny's Tune (5:00) - drums start> midtempo> quick fade *4/ Caravan (9:06) - piano starts> uptempo Latin feel with congas> slow fade *5/ Alone Together (7:02) - piano starts> midtempo jam> bass solo> swinging uptempo jam> quick fade on piano *6/ Wrong Together - piano starts> slow tempo jam> slow fade *7/ Lucy In The Sky with Diamonds (4:07)- electric piano starts> fast tempo fusion> quick stop 8/ Blackbird (5:40) - piano starts> uptempo with male vocal> fade
(Disc 2) *9/ Forgetting I know You (4:18) - piano starts> uptempo> slow fade *10/ Ela A Carioca (6:02) drums start> midtempo with tropical feel> bass solo> quick stop *11/ Seventh-Four Walkup (8:20) - piano starts> slow tempo> quick build to midtempo> quick fade 12/ Better Lately (3:36) - slow piano solo> fade *13/ Lambastin' (3:49) - drums start>uptempo jam> quick stop 14/ Interlude (2:03) - slow piano solo> fade 15/ Beautiful Love (5:10) - piano starts> slow tempo swings uptempo> fade *16/ Tres Palabras (8:52) - piano starts> slow tempo builds to midtempo> builds in intensity> bass solo> slow tempo & fade *17/ Speak Low (6:12) - piano starts> uptempo builds to fast tempo> crescendo & fade