Pianist Scott Flanigan’s debut album Point of Departure reaches the mixing stage next month.

Last heard on record on the DanaMeilana 6’s JazzNBelfast in 2013 Flanigan is one of the regular house pianists at Belfast jazz club Berts and is probably the leading modern mainstream pianist of his generation currently working on the Northern Ireland scene. He’s been a regular in Ronnie Greer’s blues band for several years as well as leading his own small groups.

Point of Departure – the album shares its title with a famous 1964 Andrew Hill record – was recorded back in May, Flanigan tells Marlbank. “I’m aiming for a September release,” he says. 

Point of Departure is a trio album Flanigan joined by double bassist Neil O’Loghlen – known for his work with David Lyttle, Ensemble Ériu and Louis Stewart – and Donaghadee-based drummer Steve Davis, who like Flanigan is a regular at Berts and whose new Sugar Blade album is expected to be released this month.

Flanigan says the album features “a mixture of standards and originals, and reworked versions of standards, which reflects my love for all the standards as well as recognising that they are songs that led to the creation of where modern jazz is today. We recorded ‘Moonlight Serenade’, ‘Here’s That Rainy Day’ and ‘Stars Fell On Alabama’, which was given an EST sort of vibe.”

Continuing he explains: “The rest are originals of mine reflecting my interest in the modern piano trio, in particular that of Brad Mehldau, Aaron Parks, Aaron Goldberg and a nod or two to another of my big inspirations, Lennie Tristano. It’s a set of music I put together for my album and for my Masters degree recital, and one of the tracks, ‘The Masterplan’, has been arranged for jazz trio and orchestra.”

Scott Flanigan, above