I wasn't very intimate with the music of pianist-composer Alan Rosenthal before his new CD Just Sayin' (self-released) crossed my desk. Now I most certainly am!
He meshes together with the great bass and drums of Cameron Brown and Steve Johns, respectively, and lets loose.
He has affinities, certainly, with middle-period Paul Bley and early-mid Keith Jarrett. And a touch of Bill Evans. But he goes his own way with that to create a very inventive set of performances. It's new-bop, free-bop, bop-be going on in the best sense.
The compositions pop, the band swings brilliantly and Alan creates some very choice pianism. It's all there: touch, striking voicings, lines of originality and some very groovy Cameron and Steve.
Eight Rosenthal originals plus the old "Red, Red Robin" as a change up make for a very listenable set.
It's an extraordinarily nice trio outing that will make you happy if you seek something in the modern vein that is NOT shopworn.
