Since I first became interested in jazz, before even knowing what it really is, I’ve been drawn to piano trios. There is something perfect about the instrumentation of piano, double bass and drums. The combination just fits somehow and, in my opinion, has a timeless quality. It is worth noting, however, that early incarnations of the trio, namely Nat Cole’s, often used guitar instead of drums. Even further back, composers such as Mozart and Haydn typically wrote for piano, violin and cello.

 

Adhering to what has now become the conventional line-up, my second offering as a band leader is yet another trio album. Following in the footsteps of innovators such as Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal and Herbie Hancock, among others, is no easy task for a pianist these days. They are the masters and they showed us the way. Nonetheless, shortly after the release of my debut album Introducing… (September 2017), I endeavoured to get back into the studio as soon as possible to document the trio’s evolving direction. 

 

As a new father, it follows, naturally, that my young family provide the inspiration for my music. The opening piece “Arthur Go” is for my first son; the closer, “Pippy’s Delight” is for my second. Incidentally, both compositions are based on Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” and together they bookend the album aptly.

 

“Brigi, My Dear” is a jazz waltz written for my wife. Originally inspired by “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from Disney’s  Cinderella, the connection, now, is almost wholly unrecognisable. As is often the case with composition, the fruits borne barely resemble the seed from which they grew.