Joey Calderazzo - Haiku (2004)

The solo-piano format is the polygraph test for pianists. On this release, Joey Calderazzo, who has worked with Michael Brecker and is currently with Branford Marsalis's group, passes it with flying colors, thanks to his fleet-fingered technique and his diverse influences. On the standard "Just One of Those Things," Calderazzo displays a surprisingly strong stride-style left hand, while the meditative "Chopin" showcases his grasp of the classical tradition. "Bri's Dance" and "The Legend of Dan" reveal his ease with Latin tempos and waltzes. The late Kenny Kirkland, Calderazzo's predecessor in Marsalis's quartet, wrote the wistful ballad "Dienda"--also recorded by Sting on All This Time. Calderazzo's moving rendition represents a passing of the torch, from fallen star to a rising one. -- Eugene Holley, Jr. ~