The latest releases reviewed.
MARC COPLAND
New York Trio Rec Vol 1: Modinha
Pirouet
****
Compared to Copland's other trio CDs, drums and bass have much more prominent roles than before. Copland is still Copland; harmonically he's unique, surprising, ambiguous and somehow logical, lyrical on ballads and upfront at more aggressive tempos. But the trio's dynamic, epitomised by Rain, Aglasia and the superbly nuanced Yesterdays, is much closer to three equal voices, with bassist Gary Peacock and the pianist's communion uncanny, and drummer Bill Stewart adding the commas, full points and underscoring. Copland's solos on Modinha, Rain and Taking a Chance on Love are particular beauties, and Peacock's are consistent marvels of creativity throughout. Originals, some spontaneously conceived pieces, two standards and Jobim's eponymous ballad make up the repertoire, but it's not just the stories these three tell - it's also the way they tell them. www.pirouetrecords.com Ray Comiskey
HOUSTON PERSON/BILL CHARLAP
You Taught My Heart to Sing
HighNote
***
Louis Armstrong always maintained that playing melody well was the most difficult of all, and Ruby Braff, who coined the phrase "adoration of the melody", would probably accept that Charlap and Person are accomplished exponents of the art. The pianist and tenor saxophonist turned to the Great American Songbook to produce a lovely, intimate reflection on a set of standards that invite this approach. There are no envelopes stretched; Person is content, for the most part, to lay his surprisingly light-toned and gentle tenor across the contours of the material with taste and assurance, leaving Charlap to add colour, both as accompanist and as soloist. In its modest, unpushy way, it's a beauty. http://uk.hmboutique.com Ray Comiskey
ERIC LEGNINI
Miss Soul
Label Bleu
***
Legnini is an exponent of the funky, hard bop piano style epitomised by Horace Silver and the late Phineas Newborn. Here, with his trio, he stamps his ebullience in the idiom on his own material as well as originals by Newborn, Clifford Brown and, surprisingly, Keith Jarrett and Björk. Hearing any single track would make a fan want more, but in bulk the diet is a little unvaried. Moreover, on ballads, of which there are two here, Legnini tends to decorate rather than dig deep; unselfconscious swinging is his thing and he's very good at it. It's hard to resist what he does with Brown's Daahoud or the insoucient way he sails through Jarrett's Lisbon Stomp. But Björk's Jòga and his own La Strada hint at more interesting avenues to explore after the funk is set aside. www.musicconnection.org.uk Ray Comiskey
