Tom Cawley: Five Albums I Couldn't Live Without
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
The pianist and composer selects his favourite recordings
A World of Piano
by Phineas Newborn Jr
"I was introduced to this album by Matt Fishwick when we were students together in the late 1990s and it just opened up a whole world of pure joy to me. The spirit and the sheer audacity of his approach, along with the incredible pianistic feat of what he’s doing, never fails to make me happy."
Art of the Trio Vol. 4
by Brad Mehldau
"He opened up rhythmic improvising and phrasing with cadences in all kinds of different places, and with such freedom and beauty. Again, I heard this at a formative time and it blew my mind."
Heavy Weather
by Weather Report
"For me this is peak Weather Report and has everything – amazing tunes, sounds and playing. Incredible detail in the writing and production – completely inspirational."
Innervisions
by Stevie Wonder
"Luckily enough for me, this was always on in the car when I was a child. With its stunning songs, idiosyncratic performances and the synth-laden soundscapes, it’s somehow still fresh every time I listen to it."
Walking Man
by James Taylor
"My first JT album and just a perfect collection of beautiful melody and harmony writing. Makes me feel warm and comforted – underrated responses to music!"
Tom Cawley’s album Catenaccio is out now on Ubuntu
This article originally appeared in the June 2019 issue of Jazzwise. Never miss an issue - subscribe today!