Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Henry Hey Trio: Watershed

118

Henry Hey Trio: Watershed

By

Sign in to view read count
Pianist Henry Hey is having a very good year. He’s already appeared on Michael Pope’s excellent The Lay of the Land, as well as Jeff “Tain” Watts’ all-star sophomore effort Bar Talk. Now Hey steps up to the plate with Watershed, his debut recording as a leader. Considering the quality of his sideman appearances, it comes as no surprise when Hey points to the bleachers and quite casually belts one out of the park.

Hey has chosen a piano trio as the format for Watershed, which is not quite so obvious a choice as it might seem. While the piano trio has a long and storied tradition, it also leaves the leader vulnerable. There is simply no place to hide in a trio setting. Every instrument is showcased. If one member of the trio has a weakness, it will stand out like a red dress at a funeral. Happily, Hey is a soloist of rare perception and imagination. He shines in this setting, creating long lines that cascade through the framework of each composition. The other members of the group, John Hebert on bass and Jochen Rueckert on drums, stand on equal footing with the leader. Each plays with distinction, supporting Hey rhythmically while contributing to the performance as a whole.

Watershed also highlights Hey’s abilities as a composer. Seven out of the eight tracks were written (in one case co-written) by the pianist, and each one is fresh and distinctive. Some highlights include the electrifying “Glenmore Story” and the pensive “Laurito.” It is a pleasure to see jazz of this quality made by someone so relatively young. Hey is sure to join Xavier Davis, Brad Mehldau, and Ethan Iverson in the pantheon of exciting contemporary pianists.

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.