Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart possess a
special place within the rich history of organ trios; with their adventurous
eclecticism, they progress beyond the bop-influenced soul jazz of the likes of
Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff and Shirley Scott and into their own singular
musical realm. Larry Goldings has collaborated with the "who's who"
of soul, pop and jazz, from Maceo Parker, Tracy Chapman, and James Taylor to
Jim Hall, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, and Charlie Haden, and is in demand as
a composer for film and TV. Peter Bernstein has been called "the most
universally respected and admired jazz guitarist of his generation", and
his work with such greats as Sonny Rollins, Jim Hall, Joshua Redman, and Brad
Mehldau backs up the claim. Known for his melodicism and polyrhythmic
complexity, Bill Stewart has played with Joe Lovano, Dave Holland, and, like
Goldings, Maceo Parker, and has had a long-time collaboration with John
Scofield. All three are recognized composers.
Toy Tunes marks the trio's twelfth album since their first
release in 1991. It's their second recording with PIROUET. The press greeted
their first PIROUET CD, 2014's Ramshackle Serenade, with "It doesn't get
much better than this" (All About Jazz), and "Another memorable outing
from one of current jazz's finest small groups" (JazzTimes). Goldings
states that, "Our approach has never been dictated by the 'organ trio'
format but rather by our individual personalities, our broad range of musical
interests, our desire to be highly interactive, and to grow together as
musicians."
Goldings' relaxed, lyrical Fagen was named for Steely Dan's
Donald Fagen, whose records "introduced me to a whole new world of harmony
and song structure." Larry comments
that Stewart's Don't Ever Call Me Again "possesses Bill's unmistakable
combination of craftiness and wit." The piece sports a funky fusion feel,
and the three keep the communication going as they converse with Stewart's
talkative drums. Bernstein wrote the dreamy Lullaby For B for his oldest son.
Goldings says it "unravels like a novella, and, due to its rich harmonies
and unexpected structure, is a joy to play." The standard I'm In The Mood
For Love is a variation on the arrangement Goldings wrote almost 25 years ago
for the great Jim Hall. "The three
of us knew and loved Jim, and he inevitably pops into our consciousness when we
play this." Goldings calls Carla Bley's And Now the Queen "a gem of a
composition. I still can't fathom how she can say so much in four bars. Carla's
pieces invite the interpreter to dive right in and explore. She gave us her own
handwritten chart from which to work!" As for Toy Tune, Goldings says that
improvising on Wayne Shorter's pieces "is akin to playing with a Rubik's
Cube." The trio takes a slightly more relaxed stance than Shorter's
original version, playing delightful games over the changes, with Stewart
wailing over the fading riff at the end. Bernstein's Calm is a beautiful mood
piece with a serene church-like quality, and with Maybe, Goldings recounts
that, "When I was in elementary school my mom took me on a train from
Boston to New York to see my first Broadway musical, Annie. Charles Strouse
wrote the music, and his song Maybe has always stuck with me. With its timeless
melody and shifting key centers, it seemed like a natural fit for us to
interpret." Depth, lyricism, complexity - it's all here, as three of the
strongest musical personalities of their generation, join hands to play music
that is pure joy.
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