Danny Kolke Trio - When You're Smiling (2022)

Danny Kolke presents a collection of freshly recorded jazz standards with new and inventive arrangements. Rooted in the solid straight ahead piano trio stylings of Gene Harris, Ray Brown, and Oscar Petersen, this band swings right out of the gate. Kolke weaves his penchant for big bluesy piano solos into a variety of settings: from the tamed brush feature of the title cut, to the robust bass tone of the upright bass solos, this music drives from the heart. The final gospel cut pulls from Kolke’s church and family roots, leaving the listener with a firm grasp on his musical message.