Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Three For All: Premonition

Three For All: Premonition

By Joel Roberts
May 1, 2000
Sign in to view read count

The Washington D.C.-based trio Three for All is that rarest of things in today's jazz world - a working band. And the strong sense of familiarity and group cohesion that can only be developed during countless nights together on the bandstand is evident on Premonition , the trio's solid new release on ALM Records.

Drummer Lenny Robinson - a veteran of tours with the likes of Ahmad Jamal, Lou Donaldson and Don Braden, and a current member of Stanley Turrentine's band - is the group's elder statesman and the album's producer. Robinson and his young cohorts, pianist Allyn Johnson and bassist Mykle Lyons, are all established jazz educators with superb chops and a deep knowledge of the modern jazz idiom. Together, they deliver an album of highly enjoyable straight-ahead jazz with a heavy dose of blues and funk.

Johnson is the trio's primary composer, contributing six originals, including the powerful opener "David and Goliath," with its hints of Coltrane and McCoy Tyner, the hymn-like "Sacred Dance," and "Goodbye Kenny," a moving tribute to the late pianist Kenny Kirkland. "Cat's Dance" offers a taste of the Washington, D.C. funk-dance beat called go-go, played by the trio behind a poetic recitation (not a rap) by baritone Steve Bryant. Rounding out the set are "O.S.," a high-energy original by Lyons, a faster than usual take on the standard "There Will Never Be Another You," and a romp through the Tommy Flanagan blues, "Freight Train." All in all, a satisfying effort that proves jazz is in safe hands in the nation's capital.

Personnel

Three For All

Lenny Robinson, drums; Allyn Johnson, piano; Mykle Lyons, bass.

www.3-forall.com

Album information

Title: Premonition | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: ALM Records

< Previous
Art Pepper

Next >
Dave Douglas: Moving the Music Forward

Comments

About Three For All

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.