Bill Charlap: Plays George Gershwin: The American Soul

The American Soul is the followup to 2004's Somewhere: The Songs Of Leonard Bernstein, and it ups the ante with Charlap's longtime trio (including drummer Kenny Washington and bassist Peter Washington) augmented by special guests: trumpeter Nicholas Payton, trombonist Slide Hampton, and saxophonists Phil Woods and Frank Wess. While the soul of the music is Gershwin, the musicians translate that spirit into heartfelt and superb performances, paying empathetic attention to detail on these timeless Gershwin tunes, which exhibit both familiarity and newness.

The trio is featured on three songs with a sound that's down to a pure science of presence and oneness, particularly notable on the poignant "I Was So Young, and You Were So Beautiful as Charlap's piano quietly sings the melody, and "Liza, with its impeccable precision and nice brush work by Washington. But the real treat lies with the horns as masters old and young enter the fray, opening up the sound with clean arrangements and lively soloing on "Nice Work If You Can Get It and "How Long has This Been Going On, which features the masterful sax of veteran Frank Wess.

The issue of whether jazz should press forward or indulge memories of the past will continue to be discussed, but The American Soul is for music lovers who appreciate both ideas by recreating new memories of time-weathered classics. Whether you're old enough to remember these Gershwin jewels or not, this recording comes highly recommended.

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