(Post-Bop, Piano Jazz) Joey Calderazzo - Simply Music, w. Sylvain Gagnon, Jeff "Tain" Watts - 1997, MP3, 320 kbps

Three famous musicians reunited in the making of a record full of subtleties. Joey Calderazzo and Jeff "Tain" Watts, often in the company of Michael Brecker, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, are joining this time bassist Sylvain Gagnon. The title, Simply Music, reflects well the spirit of the music: respect and love for jazz through a modern interpretation. They let go of all constraints and play a music full of soul. We could'nt have hoped for higher results from a trio of this caliber.
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Review by Scott Yanow
Joey Calderazzo is an excellent modern mainstream pianist who is a little reminiscent of early Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and McCoy Tyner, but essentially has found his own voice in the genre. For this release from the Montreal label Lost Chart, Calderazzo teams up with the reliable drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and bassist Sylvain Gagnon, a Canadian who has spent much time in France. Gagnon, a virtuoso who contributed the driving "Odyssee" and "Take Off Your Blues," has no difficulty keeping up with the other, better-known players, and he takes several assured solos. The trio is tight, communicating quite well with each other; they perform three jazz standards and five originals, and although not breaking any new ground, they are in fine form for this effort. Their treatments of Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil," a romantic "The More I See You" and a modal reworking of "It's You Or No One" are highlights.