Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Danny Green Trio: Altered Narratives

28

Danny Green Trio: Altered Narratives

By

Sign in to view read count
Danny Green Trio: Altered Narratives
Pianist Danny Green took a big step up in the piano trio rankings with 2014's After The Calm (OA2 Records). The San Diego-based group focused in on a distinctive and beautiful set of Green originals and recorded them with a continuity of mood and an ebullient brio—like three guys who knew what they were doing in an art that demands nuance and delicacy sitting beside—in time's flow—a rise and fall of robustness of approach that just might evolve, when the music calls for it, the occasional joyful percussive zest.

With Altered Narratives, Green and company—bassist Justin Grinnell and drummer Julien Cantelm—show that they can go two-for-two in producing first-rate piano trio jazz, again on a set of tunes penned by pianist Green. The pianist's tune-smithing is slightly idiosyncratic with an anchor in the tradition. His melodies have a sense of wonder ("Serious Fun"), sometimes a sense of fun ("Benji's Song"), and the tongue might at times lodge in the cheek ("I Hate The Blues"), as he applies his supple-but-strong touch to the keyboard, accompanied by the bassist and drummer who may lean closer to the "accompanist" mode—as opposed to the democratic approach, while still injecting their individualistic sounds into the music.

The disc's opener, "Chatter From All Sides" is a slinky, cool dude strut. "The Merge" zooms along, edgy and frenetic, and "October Ballad" is an alluring reverie.

Then there's the leap that sets this apart from Green's previous recording: three tunes, in the middle of the eleven tune set, featuring the addition of a string quartet. There's nothing that adds a touch of elegance to a jazz set more than an adeptly-done string arrangement, and these are superb: violins, viola and cello in a sinuous, sometimes whispering embrace with a vibrant, top-notch piano trio, delving into Danny Green's distinguished compositions.

Track Listing

Chatter From All Sides; The Merge; October Ballad; 6 a.m.; Second Chance; Katabasis; Porcupine Dreams; Benji's Song; I Used To Hate The Blues; Friday At The Thursday Club; Serious Fun.

Personnel

Danny Green: piano; Justin Grinnell: bass; Julien Cantelm: drums.

Album information

Title: Altered Narratives | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: OA2 Records

Comments

Tags


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.
View events near San Diego
Jazz Near San Diego
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

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