Restoring your faith in the piano trio: above, l-r, Scott Colley, Enrico Pieranunzi, and Antonio Sánchez
Staring at the top line of the sheet music with the chord symbols scrawled on top of each line beyond reach moulded into the CD tray of Stories (it’s the music for ‘Where Stories Are’, just eight lines including the coda), the track comes up as the pre-penultimate number here of the eight tracks, where Pieranunzi, whose Play Morricone sessions have just been reissued is joined by bassist Scott Colley and drummer Antonio Sánchez, the pairing who illuminate the very tasteful Sentiana released last month.
Most of the tunes are Pieranunzi’s, who it must be said, stating the obvious, is a poet of the piano, like Bill Evans or Brad.
Opening with ‘No Improper Use’ it's ‘Detrás Más Allá’ where the trio really rise to the challenge yet it’s still for now generic uptempo jazz but you know something, a moment, might emerge and it does, like a waterfall.
A magnificent album, just go and buy this February 2011 set made at Avatar in New York. It’s Farber sound so that’s not an issue; the tune not composed by Pieranunzi who is 65 this year is Colley’s ‘The Slow Gene’.
Cultured piano music beyond genre but heartland jazz nonetheless with a Puccini-like head for melody there’s plenty to savour, Colley’s solo on ‘The Real You’ at the end of this album that’s just shy of 50 minutes, enough to stop you dead in your tracks and cancel whatever your plans are for the rest of the day. An instant classic. SG
Released on Tuesday, 6 May