Steve Blanco Trio @ The Watercolor Cafe February 22, 2008

Pianist Steve Blanco should conceivably be making his mark on the global jazz scene via this exceptional piano trio effort. Here, diversity in scope, solidified by the mergence of power, restraint and richly melodic content exists as an axis for Blancos complex harmonic developments. Blanco fuses muscle (think of McCoy Tyner) with fluidity and grace. And with the crack rhythm section of bassist Adam Rogers and drummer Sunny Jain, the trio engages in knotty time signature and multihued accents.

Blancos linear phrasings are constructed upon a vibrantly articulated approach, where given melodies are revitalized and improvised upon. On the piece simply titled Cigarettes, Blanco flickers his piano strings for a bit of dazzle, to colorize this light-hearted mid-tempo swing vamp. In spots, they skirt the free-zone, but this is progressive jazz at its finest. Its thoroughly hip, captivating and irrefutably entertaining. Blanco is one to watch Glenn Astarita

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of watercolorcafe.