Dan Tepfer Trio
Sunnyside
2010-10-25
Even though the pairing of the words “piano” and “trio” are likely to make you think of Bill Evans or Vince Guaraldi, Dan Tepfer’s ensemble occupies a niche similar to Brad Mehldau; the left and right hands do not jump around in full parallel while the bass plays sturdy anchor to the drums’ drizzling curiosities. What you get is music less concerned with the standard building blocks of yore and more with intuitive melodies and the chords that serve them. Call it Romanticism of the 21st century or whatever you want, but Five Pedals Deep represents one possible future for piano trios that jazz aficionados are well served to watch.