The huge influence that EST has had on jazz in recent years is still pervasive, and with the first concerts of EST Symphonic premiered the music of the great trio has moved on to a different level five years on from the passing of Esbjörn Svensson. Yet 2013 has also been the first year when new piano trios have started to sound that bit different in a variety of ways as these very different examples show, and a big highlight of the year was one of the daddies of them all, the return of a master of the genre with the “plus” factor that once more set pulses racing

‘Straight Circle’
Reis/Demuth/Wiltgen
Reis/Demuth/Wiltgen
Laborie

'I Have Dreamed'
Christian McBride Trio
Out Here
Mack Avenue 

'Africa'
Możdżer / Danielsson / Fresco
ACT

‘Saturday Morning’
Ahmad Jamal 
Saturday Morning: La Buissonne Studio Sessions
Jazz Village