musical director Archive

Mike Jones Trio – Roaring – Capri

by Audiophile Audition | Jul 5, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Mike Jones Trio – Roaring – Capri 74142-2 61:54 ****: An effervescent take on some well-worn material. (Mike Jones – piano; Katie Thiroux – bass; Matt Witek – drums) Jazz and Las Vegas are words that are not necessarily synonymous. Although from the 50s through the 70s, many of the big bands such as Count Basie, Buddy Rich and Woody Herman had long standing gigs at places like The Sands and The Tropicana among others. The current musical director for the esteemed magic team Penn and Teller, who have been ensconced for over fifteen years at The Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino, Mike Jones has gained a reputation as a versatile swinging pianist of the first order. His latest release Roaring with bassist Katie Thiroux and drummer Matt Witek showcases the tunes of the 1920s, each of which has stood the test of time. Bassist Katie Thiroux opens “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” with a couple of bars of deep-throated bass playing, which then evolves into a swinging groove by pianist Jones who expands upon the theme with some block-chord ruminating. The tune had a bit of a renaissance in 1966, when Frank Sinatra’s evocative album Strangers In The […]