John Law, piano; Tim Garland, sop./tenor saxophones; Tim Wells, bass; Dave Wickins, drums
This polished, melodic and technically assured album by English pianist John Law comes as a pleasant surprise, especially to those who had him figured as a Cecil Taylor disciple. Taylor, once the most controversial figure in jazz, is the free-improv pianist who outraged critics with a no-holds-barred approach that permitted the liberal use of fists and elbows.
The classically trained Law, however, has seen the light. There's nothing crash-bash about this sensitive session, which he describes as 'a fusion of jazz with a classical sensibility.' His inspiration, he says, was an Italian pianist, Antonio Zambrini, whose trio he heard when both were playing at a festival in Clusone. To my ears, Zambrini himself must have been influenced by Michel Petrucciani, the tiny French virtuoso whose genius impressed the whole jazz world. You can hear Petrucciani's tough yet graceful touches in Law's themes, and the ensemble playing, with Tim Wells and Dave Wickins, reflects the insightful standards established by Keith Jarrett's trios. Guest saxophonist Tim Garland is the ideal frontman to make the group a quartet for three of the nine tracks. You won't find it in the shops yet, but Cornucopia's website (www.nday.co.uk) offers buyers access to a worthy product by a seriously talented homegrown player.
Jack Massarik London Evening Standard February 2002