Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Michael Wolff Trio: jazz, Jazz, jazz

Michael Wolff Trio: jazz, Jazz, jazz

By John Barron
August 29, 2007
View read count

It's difficult to pigeonhole Michael Wolff. The celebrated pianist/composer has been able to successfully navigate a career between commercial and non-commercial music. His performance credits include Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Warren Zevon and, perhaps most memorably, a high-profile stint as musical director for The Arsenio Hall Show. With jazz, Jazz, jazz, as the title so brazenly suggests, Wolff leaves little doubt as to where his musical passion lies. The disc was recorded in 2001 with legendary bassist John B. Williams and drummer Victor Jones, both longtime associates of Wolff.

The selections, all familiar gems by the likes of Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, are performed in a straight-ahead fashion, spontaneous and uncontrived. With the rock-solid support of Williams and Jones, Wolff throws caution to the wind and explores the outer fringes of harmony and tempo. The New Orleans native incorporates a dazzling display of unbridled momentum with unpredictable bursts of melodic design. Highlights include an impressionistic portrait of Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma, a lyrically-focused rendition of "Cry Me a River and a rollicking version of "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise.

The camaraderie between Wolff, Williams and Jones is evident throughout the entire disc. The trio's relaxed approach and intuitive interplay makes for an energetic and fun session—endearing and worthy of repeated listening.

Track Listing

Autumn Leaves; Solar; Con Alma; Cry Me A River; Dolphin Dance; Footprints; My Funny Valentine; Softly As A Morning Sunrise; Einbahnstrasse.

Personnel

Michael Wolff

piano and vocals

Michael Wolff: piano; John B. Williams: bass; Victor Jones: drums.

Album information

Title: jazz, JAZZ, jazz | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Wrong Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Twangorama
< Previous

Float Like a Butterfly
Next >

Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.