Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard

317

Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard

By

Sign in to view read count
Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard
Recorded in September 2003, this program includes several standards, giving a sense of familiarity to its essence. Pianist Bill Charlap enjoys a mellow groove. He squeezes the melody out of the piano as if it were coming from a rose petal. Nothing stands in his way as he sends each lyrical theme on its way. With bass and drums supplying his rhythmic foundation, the pianist moves gracefully over each selection with class.

For the most part, Charlap keeps this session quiet and gentle. His interpretations come naturally for an intimate room where the audience is relaxed and subdued. Both "Autumn in New York and "It's Only a Paper Moon issue slow and delicate. The pianist's touch remains light and crisp as he tickles the keys with a soft caress. It's one of those situations where the audience can hang quietly on every note.

Faster numbers, such as "My Shining Hour and "The Lady is a Tramp show off Charlap's fluid technique. When the song calls for it, he can apply blazing-fast cascades and handfuls of keys in succession. That both bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenneth Washington keep up with him comes as no surprise, considering their superb talent. With Charlap, they provide a cohesive outing that shines brightly all night long.

The bassist solos several times while the drummer stretches out only once, keeping the focus aimed at Charlap's lyrical piano interpretations. They mesh well when coloring together. The pianist enjoys a slow simmer where his musical partners can apply layers of silk and satin. Their session runs smooth, languishes happily through the evening's intimate spirit, and maintains a delicate pace designed for lovers.

Track Listing

Rocker; Autumn in New York; Godchild; The Lady is A Tramp; It

Personnel

Bill Charlap: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Kenneth Washington: drums.

Album information

Title: Live at the Village Vanguard | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts

May 7 Tue
May 7 Tue
May 8 Wed
May 8 Wed
May 9 Thu
May 9 Thu

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

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

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