In jazz, there are pianists with bass and drums accompaniment and there are piano trios. They look the same on stage, but there is a world of difference between the two and it boils down to rapport. Pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Johnathan Blake are a trio and they share a degree of rapport that is a joy to listen to. The first of these 10 tracks, Barron’s catchy bossa nova, Porto Alegre, provides a perfect example. There are no solos, as such, but one or another will come to the fore while the others quietly keep the momentum going.
All three are outstanding musicians whose every move is elegant and assured. Barron must be among the most technically complete pianists in jazz today, as his playing on Speed Trap demonstrates, while Holland’s full, warm tone and firmness of line are magnificent. As for Blake, his command of time is quite unbelievable – tricky and playful but accurate to the millisecond. To hear them turn a simple groove into a little masterpiece, listen to Pass It On, Holland’s tribute to the late drummer, Ed Blackwell.
