1.Try to remember
2.Who?
3.Balloons
4.26-2
5.Voncify the Emulyans
6.In your own sweet way
7.Beauty secrets
Kenny Werner (piano), Johannes Weidenmueller (bass), Ari Hoenig (drums)
rec.September 29/30, 2014 at James L. Dolan Studios, NYU, New York, USA [56:48]
For the umpteenth time I sit here feeling inadequate because I didn’t know of a jazz musician before I had their disc to review. In this case I didn’t know
the name Kenny Werner. Is it because I don’t listen to enough jazz or just that there are so many musicians out there many simply slip past my radar
screen; I suspect it’s a bit of both. The main thing now is to enjoy his music now I’ve found it which is easy to do as it’s so...well musical. This trio
of marvellous players don’t involve themselves in fancy self-indulgence that seems to ensnare many contemporary jazz musicians who tend to believe that if
they don’t bring something entirely ‘new’ to the table they’re are not demonstrating their creativity. This is a totally erroneous view in my opinion and
which is also counter-productive since in the words of a friend of mine ‘those who only play for themselves will end up only playing to themselves’ while
Kenny Werner’s music makes you want to share it with others immediately.
I’ve been trying to analyse the instant appeal this disc has given me and I think it is the wonderful balance between the three musicians, each of them
protagonists, each of them with space to shine and make their own mark yet who meld into such a homogenous whole. Maybe that is the particularly special
ingredient of a trio that makes such a format so attractive and successful.
Enough analysing, what about the music I hear you cry...well it’s brilliant but with what I’ve said above it could hardly be described as anything else.
Kenny has sensibly interspersed his own original compositions with some great tunes from other sources: the wonderfully melodious Try to remember
along with John Coltrane’s 26-2 and the late and still hugely lamented Dave Brubeck’s In your own sweet way, all cooked to perfection
with what I now recognise as Kenny Werner’s customary and consummate musicality. With his own compositions I had that fascinating experience I frequently
get with really good writing when I think I’ve heard the tune before but clearly can’t have; his Balloons is a case in point. If you like your
jazz simply but beautifully stated and that keeps a smile on your face from start to finish look no further because this is for you.
Steve Arloff