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Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 29th, 2013, 11:30 am
by Mike Schwartz
Was discussed a bit on another thread.

Recordings and performances...lets have at it!

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 29th, 2013, 12:26 pm
by moldyfigg
Nat COle, Bill Evans, Oscar Paterson in various make ups. It never got better than that.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 29th, 2013, 2:42 pm
by Mike Schwartz
moldyfigg wrote:Nat COle, Bill Evans, Oscar Paterson in various make ups. It never got better than that.


Particular albums?

That Oscar Peterson guy was pretty swell too!! :D

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 29th, 2013, 2:46 pm
by Mike Schwartz
I LOVE Gene Harris Three sounds!!

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Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 29th, 2013, 5:09 pm
by steve(thelil)
Mike Schwartz wrote:
moldyfigg wrote:Nat COle, Bill Evans, Oscar Paterson in various make ups. It never got better than that.


Particular albums?

That Oscar Peterson guy was pretty swell too!! :D


He's talking about the love child of Oscar Bonavena and Floyd Paterson.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 29th, 2013, 6:12 pm
by stonemonkts
Always thought Miles 2nd 5Tet's rhythm section could've been greatest trio ever, and yeah I know they did record a few sessions, but damn those extended periods when Shorter and Miles hung back...that was some amazing trio playing.

Bley/Peacock/Motian - Not One, Not Two (yes I REALLY love Paul Bley) was great.

Also the Bley/Peacock/Altschul trio from the 60s (Japan Suite, but especially Ballads).

I'm a big fan of the Evans trio from the Vanguard period.

Waldron with Addison Farmer and Kenny Dennis was a lovely trio.

Bud Powell's trio in France was stellar.

I am also a fan of the Jarrett trio. Was surprised to read comments from the other thread describing being left "cold", but I do appreciate reading about member's dislikes as much as their favorites.

Almost forgot to add Brad Mehldau's trios...both of them excellent.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 30th, 2013, 6:20 am
by randalljazz
bill evans (labarbera, johnson): the last waltz

alan broadbent: you and the night and the music

ahmad jamal, with ray crawford and israel crosby

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 30th, 2013, 6:38 am
by Tom Storer
I'll vote for Ahmad Jamal's trio with Israel Crosby and Vernell Fournier. And Evans/LaFaro/Motian, of course.

The version of the Great Jazz Trio that had Hank Jones, Ron Carter and Tony Williams was wonderful. Also Hank's trio with George Mraz and Elvin Jones, the one that recorded that record of Thad Jones compositions.

Loved Tyner's "Trident" with Ron Carter and Elvin Jones. Also Tommy Flanagan's trios over the years (especially Mraz/K. Washington, P. Washington/Lewis Nash). And Kenny Barron/Ray Drummond/Ben Riley.

Less interested in contemporary trios such as Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran et al. I once saw Brad Mehldau's trio up close in a club and that was great, but I don't listen to the CDs much.

Any love for Wynton Kelly/Paul Chambers/Jimmy Cobb?

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 30th, 2013, 10:40 am
by steve(thelil)
No specific trio LPs come to mind for them, but the few times I was fortunate enough to see the Cedar Walton trio with Billy Higgins and David Williams, I loved them. I do have a few Cedar Walton CDs, but surprisingly, they aren't trio recordings. He didn't make that many of them, I believe.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 30th, 2013, 9:47 pm
by Mike Schwartz
I have the entire Maybeck Recital Hall series on the old Concord label, when it was run by Carl Jefferson

There are 42 CDs recorded between 1990 & 1995

Some wonderful albums in the mix....this one is quite wonderful!



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OOPS!
SOLO piano thread :oops:

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: October 31st, 2013, 9:05 am
by moldyfigg
Mike Schwartz wrote:I have the entire Maybeck Recital Hall series on the old Concord label, when it was run by Carl Jefferson

There are 42 CDs recorded between 1990 & 1995

Some wonderful albums in the mix....this one is quite wonderful!



Image


Me too :)

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 1st, 2013, 12:47 pm
by Mike Schwartz
steve(thelil) wrote:No specific trio LPs come to mind for them, but the few times I was fortunate enough to see the Cedar Walton trio with Billy Higgins and David Williams, I loved them. I do have a few Cedar Walton CDs, but surprisingly, they aren't trio recordings. He didn't make that many of them, I believe.


Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 1st, 2013, 4:57 pm
by Mike Schwartz
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Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 1st, 2013, 7:46 pm
by Mike Schwartz
This one is Killer!

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Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 2nd, 2013, 8:19 am
by steve(thelil)
Mike Schwartz wrote:This one is Killer!

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Yeah. A favorite. I've seen James a few times, and he was always wonderful. A particularly memorable evening was sitting 8 feet from him playing duets with Calvin Newborn on guitar (Phineas's brother) at Bradley's.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 2nd, 2013, 10:20 am
by Mike Schwartz
steve(thelil) wrote:
Mike Schwartz wrote:This one is Killer!

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Yeah. A favorite. I've seen James a few times, and he was always wonderful. A particularly memorable evening was sitting 8 feet from him playing duets with Calvin Newborn on guitar (Phineas's brother) at Bradley's.


There's the strong Memphis connection all the way around Phineas, James, and Mulgrew Miller

There a Bradley's page started up on FB....cool stories and memories being shared

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 4th, 2013, 2:41 pm
by Coda

This would be my pick for best piano trio release this year.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 7th, 2013, 8:44 pm
by A. Kingstone
THE BARRY HARRIS TRIO FEATURING RAY DRUMMOND AND LEROY WILLIAMS

Saw this lot at The Vanguard summer of 2012. Mesmerizing.

Just reserved for 4 shows next weekend in Montreal!

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 10th, 2013, 6:46 pm
by Pete C
Bley-Peacock-Motian was probably the greatest trio I saw live.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 11th, 2013, 10:39 am
by Steve Reynolds
the above Bley-Peacock-Motian trio is the one I wanted to see more than any other..

best I've seen live was Crispell-Guy-Hemingway

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 11th, 2013, 1:06 pm
by Mike Schwartz
Talk about a glaring personal omission.....having seen Mulgrew Miller numerous times always spectacular.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 11th, 2013, 1:47 pm
by uli

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 11th, 2013, 5:33 pm
by A. Kingstone
Mike Schwartz wrote:Talk about a glaring personal omission.....having seen Mulgrew Miller numerous times always spectacular.



Though seeing Miller in a duo at Knickerbockers after Bradley's had closed in 97 I'll never forget how he stared at me as I entered the club, a Toronto greenhorn, he seemed intent and a maybe a little pissed. People talked while they played. We were able to walk right up behind him and watch listen and drink. I shook his massive hand and commented how I'd seen him with Blakey in (around) 87 at The Bamboo in Toronto. My friend who seemed to always annoy jazz greats in New York suggested he was "still wet behind the ears then". Mulgrew was gracious enough not to punch us and we came back the following night for the first set prior to seeing Sonny Rollins at some pathetic standing room club uptown. Sonny was magical and we were on the rail in the first row.

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 11th, 2013, 8:33 pm
by Mike Schwartz
Reminded by Pete's mentioning a particular show was the best piano trio he's ever seen; I saw Mulgrew Miller with Ray Drummond, bass and Billy Higgins, drums the greatest I've ever seen in this format during Stanford Jazz Festival in Campbell Recital Hall a number of years ago.

Aug. 5th, 2000: The Trio, with Billy Higgins, Mulgrew Miller and Ray Drummond.

The buzz among the audience & the presenters was thick enough to cut with a knife, we kind of walked around dumbfounded that we've never seen anything like that, and haven't since. Higgins was in good health at this time and was absolutely on fire and the program was all Miller compositions!!

Re: Outstanding piano trios

Posted: November 12th, 2013, 2:03 pm
by uli