(Tim Young, piano; Alphonso M. Young Jr., drums; Bhagwan Khalsa, doublebass; Guests: Sara Jones, vocals on 2 tracks; Ben Baker, tenor sax on track 5; Todd Harrison, guitar & percussion on track 6)
Composer/pianist Tim Young is the pianist with the Army Jazz Ambassadors of Washington D.C. and his brother was percussionist in the Broadway show Sophisticated Ladies, and has played with Randy Brecker, Bob Berg and Ira Sullivan among others. The trio is described in the accompanying bio sheet as “in the traditional jazz genre.” Not so. They’re mainstream modern jazz of the cool variety. Three of the tracks are originals by Tim and his arrangements grace the others. The addition of the guest artists adds to the interest of this basic piano trio album.
Most of the tracks are rather quietly laid back, with some great playing from Tim. I found his treatment of Kurt Weill’s Speak Low one of the best I’ve heard of that classic. The original Waltz of Nanami is a lovely lyrical piece, and the addition of vocalist Sara Jones on two tracks is a welcome one (rather than annoying as are guest vocalists on many albums). Her wordless vocalese on Somewhere Within is a delight.
TrackList: Speak Low, Waltz for Nanami, Just Squeeze Me, Souvenir, I Can’t Give You anything But Love, Somewhere Within, Next Chapter, Nahjal, Skylark.
– John Henry
