Adam Birnbaum, Doug Weiss, Al Foster: Three of a Mind

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Adam Birnbaum (g, FM syn)
Al Foster (d)
Doug Weiss (b)

Label:

Daedalus Records

May/2015

Catalogue Number:

DR001

RecordDate:

24 May 2012

Young master meets old master(s) on this engaging piano-trio set. Juilliard grad and American Jazz Piano Competition winner Adam Birnbaum has been making a name for himself on the New York scene in recent years, performing in Darcy James Argue's Secret Society as well as putting out some warmly received work under his own name. Most significantly in the context of this new release, he's also been playing in the quartet led by Al Foster – Miles' timekeeper for a decade from On The Corner through to The Man With The Horn; precisely swinging bassist Doug Weiss is part of the same outfit. Here Birnbaum takes the lead, providing most of the tunes, from the uptempo opener ‘Binary’ through the tricksy, Thelonious Monk-infused ‘Thirty-Three’ to ‘Dream Song #1: Huffy Henry’, excerpted from a longer work inspired by John Berryman's poetry. Foster provides two cuts: ‘Brandyn’, written for his son and providing Birnbaum with the opportunity to show how fast his fingers can move across the keys; and ‘Ooh What You Do to Me’, which sounds like it ought to be a simpering ballad but actually brings the disc to a satisfyingly vigorous conclusion.

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