Jill McCarron Trio: Gin

Gin, pianist Jill McCarron says of the title of her second recording as leader of the Jill McCarron Trio, refers to the card game of that name, and not to the alcoholic beverage. She balances the joy of winning with the luck of the draw in her entrancing three-part suite. While McCarron leads an admirable threesome (Paul Gill, bass; Andy Watson, drums), this is a trio album with an asterisk, as saxophonist Vincent Herring sits in on four numbers (including the first two) and flugelhornist Randy Brecker and tenor Ada Rovatti make it a quintet on Don Grolnick's light-hearted frolic, "The Whisperer."

Elsewhere, it is McCarron and her working group sparkling in a delightful program that encompasses jazz originals by Horace Silver, Kenny Dorham, Gene Harris, Bill Evans, Junior Mance, George Duke and Denny Zeitlin, and standards by Jerome Kern ("Yesterdays") and Harold Arlen ("My Shining Hour"). Even though her eloquent piano is at the heart of every number, McCarron does not take complete charge until track six, Bill Evans' handsome "Waltz for Debby," which she plays beautifully and all by herself.

"Debby" is followed by "The Gin Suite," whose three movements ("Gin," "Bitters," "Luck of the Draw") are harmonically impressive and melodically irresistible. Herring plays tenor sax on Duke's "Geneva," as he does on "My Shining Hour" (and alto on Silver's "The Jody Grind" and Dorham's "Monaco," which open the session). The trio has its say on Harris' "Blue Bells," "Yesterdays," "Gin Suite," Mance's "Jubilation" and Zeitlin's enchanting finale, "Quiet Now."

Among the album's several highlights, "My Shining Hour" earns first prize, thanks in part to Herring's impassioned solo, with "Waltz for Debby" and "Yesterdays" a close second. On the other hand, nothing here is less than commendable.