Gary Peacock - Now This (2015)

In the realm of the piano trio the bar is set high, and creative bassist Gary Peacock has helped raise it in the groups of Bill Evans, Paul Bley and Keith Jarrett. 'Now This' is an album with the bassist's current trio, recorded in the summer of 2014 in Oslo and issued in time for Peacock's 80th birthday (on 12 May, 2015).
Powerful new versions of some Peacock classics - such as "Moor", "Vignette", "Requiem" and "Gaya" - are interspersed with recent compositions. Pianist Marc Copland and drummer Joey Baron each contribute tunes, and the group also tackles Scott La Faro's "Gloria's Step". In this band, roles are very evenly shared, and this is an optimum context in which to appreciate the melodic invention of Peacock's bass playing. Marc Copland always honours the needs of the compositions and Joey Baron supplies both drive and sensitive detail.

Born in Idaho, Gary Peacock has earned renown as one of the most versatile and searching bass players in jazz over the past five decades. One of his earliest influences was innovative saxophonist Albert Ayler, with whom Peacock performed and recorded in the 1960s. Since the early 1980s, the bassist has been adding contemporary twists to jazz standards in the globally popular trio with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette.

In New York City in the 60s he performed with, amongst others, George Russell, Archie Shepp, and Paul Bley, became part of pianist Bill Evans' trio and recorded in a second trio with Bley and Paul Motian. He began his long association with ECM in the 70s, releasing 'Tales of Another' (with Jarrett and DeJohnette) in 1977 and 'December Poems' a year later. Along with his subsequent ECM albums as leader, Peacock has made duo albums with guitarist Ralph Towner, as well as recordings with Bley, Marilyn Crispell, John Surman and Bill Connors.