Simon Toldham Trio

Sunshine Sunshine or Green as GrassILK Music ****

When it comes to making a record, most pianists seek out the quietest room and the grandest piano they can find. Danish pianist and composer Simon Toldam has sacrificed all that for the atmosphere and energy of a live audience, recording this set of original material in a crowded cafe in Copenhagen on his own upright piano. The music starts in the hum and clatter of conversation and coffee cups, but the band gradually draw a silence around them until they have created their own studio. By the time the second tune ends, you could hear a plastic spoon drop. There are echoes of Monk and Bill Evans, as well as Bobo Stenson and perhaps Brad Mehldau, in the trio's loose, collaborative sound, but comparisons don't do justice to the uniqueness of this gloriously lo-fi recording. It's all about the energy in the room and the intense focus of a talented young trio lost in music. simontoldam.com