Nikki Iles/Duncan Hopkins/Anthony Michelli: Everything I Love

This piano trio works well. Iles has toured with Duncan Hopkins and Anthony Michelli—the two have developed a fine working relationship setting up the rhythm for other musicians—and the closeness they have established is manifested right through. This gives the tunes a distinct edge and no matter whose compositions they get into, they peg it right in the middle and raise it to a delightful level of accomplishment.

Iles creates interesting harmonic structures. She pushes, prods and builds tension, which she releases gently, a gentle sigh in the field of her imagination. She ambles along merrily on "Ambleside Days" and then cuts into the tempo to traipse lightly. She gradually shifts the scope, reigniting the melody with the change of pace letting a flurry of notes build a tauter edifice. Michelli cues in, cymbals and rims adding a vibrant liveliness. This is quite the contrast to "Your Story," where she plays with an assured grace as she gets into the emotional core—and with Hopkins and Michelli offering firm support, they turn this one into a riveting piece.

Iles wrote two of the songs here. "So To Speake" is a ballad, short and sweet, and the up-tempo "Fly's Dilemma," which careens along brightly, is a happy tune that gets its zip from Iles, who keeps the momentum propelling forward. At the end of it all, this is a rewarding experience!

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