Bill Carrothers

Joy SpringPirouet  *  *  *  *  *

Pianist Bill Carrothers, who likes forgotten or unfrequented musical paths, makes his own of the music of the great trumpeter Clifford Brown, who was killed aged 25 in a crash in 1956. In this superb tribute, Carrothers has Drew Gress (bass) and Bill Stewart (drums), kindred spirits who reinforce his individuality with their own. Any mindset raised by the originals is confounded; Jordu is transformed into a mock- heroic march, Jacqui, Junior's Arrivaland the minor key Powell's Prances are swinging performances taken to very different places, and the ebullience of Gertrude's Bounceis rendered subtly nostalgic with yuletide hints of Santa Claus. And Carrothers finds further depths of melancholy mystery in gorgeous ballads ( Time and Delilah) and, above all, by turning Joy Spring'soriginal buoyant mood into an unforgettably lovely elegy of rubato and essentially solo piano. See pirouetrecords.com