If you've ever read more than two or three pieces I've written, you know that I listen to a lot more than the indie pop scene that's Amplifier's bread and butter. In particular, I'm a big jazz fan, with a special fondness for the classic piano trio. From Thelonious Monk's fractured post-bop to Vince Guaraldi's verging-on-twee west coast cool, there's just nothing like the sound of a piano, a standup bassist and a drummer getting together. (If you're ever casting about for something to listen to online weeknights between the hours of eight and midnight Eastern Time, pop over to www.wgbh.org and listen to Eric in the Evening: besides possessing the coolest radio voice on the Boston airwaves, host Eric Jackson is a world-class aficionado of the classic piano trio; his theme song, Tommy Flanagan's "Peace" from his 1978 set Something Borrowed, Something Blue, is a small, perfect classic of the jazz piano form.)
Absolutely the best jazz piano trio record I've heard in years is Danny Grissett's debut as a leader, Promise, just out on Criss Cross. Recorded in a single session with bassist Vincente Archer and drummer Kendrick Scott, Promise has the cerebral cool of a classic '50s set, but Grissett isn't just mimicking an old form. Evenly split between originals and standards, the album is simply, fundamentally, enormously fun to listen to. Even the more reflective ballads like "You Must Believe in Spring" sound like the three players had joyous grins plastered on their faces throughout, and on the more uptempo material like the spirited opening take on John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice," the good humor is absolutely palpable.
Here's the thing: I know a lot of jazz-curious people get intimidated after they've bought Kind of Blue, largely due to the music's reputation for being self-serious and forbidding. This is not one of those albums. If you've ever had any interest whatsoever in piano jazz, buy Danny Grissett's Promise. If you don't like this album, you don't like jazz piano trios, making them a whole subset of popular music that you can cross off your list. But if you do, there's a whole world out there to explore. Start at Danny Grissett’s MySpace page or buy the album at Amazon or your favorite local or online retailer.
