Denny Zeitlin - Stairway To The Stars (2014)

The trio is an extraordinary setting for pianist and rhythm section. Experienced musicians can take advantage of the flexibility that an ensemble of this size can afford them if they find the right collaborators. The forward-leaning pianist Denny Zeitlin has always been a fan of the trio with its unique musical challenges and rewards, though he finds himself playing in this setting infrequently. Opportunities for solo performances and electronic music work have become his focus over the past two decades. In 2009, Sunnyside released a collection of recordings by the Trio, In Concert, Featuring Buster Williams and Matt Wilson. The tracks were collected from live performances done at The Jazz Bakery in Culver City, California and The Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 2001 to 2006. The Trio s new release Stairway To The Stars is a full set of pieces performed at The Jazz Bakery in November 2001 at the ensemble s inception, and recorded by the late, great engineer Drew Daniels. This exquisite recording captures the group at its best, all members locked into a fantastic musical dialog on eight beloved standards and one Zeitlin original. Stairway To The Stars is a fantastic example of the melding of three talented individuals into an astoundingly effective ensemble. Denny Zeitlin, Buster Williams and Matt Wilson compose a true musical powerhouse, though their music presents its strength with subtlety and taste rather than bombast.

Denny Zeitlin - piano
Buster Williams - bass
Matt Wilson - drums