Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ted Rosenthal Trio: The King and I

Ted Rosenthal Trio: The King and I

By Dr. Judith Schlesinger
October 31, 2006
View read count

While the Rogers and Hammerstein musical The King and I has long been a rich melodic source for improvisers, it's unusual for its songs to be gathered together on one CD. Here, the Ted Rosenthal Trio gives new life to that ageless material.

Although based in Japan, Venus Records is known for assembling crack US jazz trios, and this is one of the best. For this outing Rosenthal, a reliably elegant and expressive pianist, is joined by the always lyrical bassist George Mraz and first-call drummer Lewis Nash. Their approach to these classics is both respectful and creative.

It's difficult to isolate highlights at this level of excellence, but favorites include the transformation of "I Whistle a Happy Tune" into a '50s rock/stroll, and the tongue-in-cheek take on "March of the Siamese Children," in which the trio becomes a jazzy marching band. They bring out the pensive beauty of "We Kiss in a Shadow" and "Something Wonderful," and swing so hard on "Getting to Know You" that they remove years of saccharine from that song.

All told, this is a beautiful, tasteful, thoroughly engaging session—it's essential for fans of the show, and highly recommended for those who enjoy jazz trio playing at its best.

Track Listing

My Lord and Master, Shall We Dance?, I Have Dreamed, I Whistle a Happy Tune, We Kiss in a Shadow, Getting to Know You, Something Wonderful, March of the Siamese Children, Hello, Young Lovers

Personnel

Ted Rosenthal

piano

Ted Rosenthal: piano; George Mraz: bass; Lewis Nash: drums

Album information

Title: The King and I | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Venus Records

About Ted Rosenthal

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Make It Happen
< Previous

Poet's Walk
Next >

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.