Kenny Werner Trio: Animal Crackers

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Kenny Werner (solo p)
Johannes Weidenmueller (b)
Ari Hoenig (d)

Label:

Pirouet

April/2018

Catalogue Number:

PIT3099

RecordDate:

9-10 May 2016

So the Pirouet label resurfaces after time out, flying home on the wings of one of their favourite pianists. This is an absorbing recital, and probably one of the most varied that Werner has created during his several decades in the performing and educational spotlight. For a start, it has an intriguing mix of standards and originals (the title-track having nothing to do with either the recent movie, the old Marx Brothers one or even Shirley Temple, you'll be relieved to hear). As well as the titular cut, Werner's contributions include three other pieces, often employing motivic development, and there are two jointly-credited collective improvisations which go by the evocative names of ‘Breathing Torso’ and ‘Mechanical Arm’. Many of the techniques used here carry over into the treatments, very different from each other, of three old favourites, ‘The Song Is You’, ‘I Should Care’ and ‘If I Should Lose You’. Weidenmueller and Hoenig are highly responsive at all times, but Werner is responsible for much of the energy and invention on display here.

Follow us

Jazzwise Print

  • Latest print issues

From £5.83 / month

Subscribe

Jazzwise Digital Club

  • Latest digital issues
  • Digital archive since 1997
  • Download tracks from bonus compilation albums during the year
  • Reviews Database access

From £7.42 / month

Subscribe

Subscribe from only £5.83

Never miss an issue of the UK's biggest selling jazz magazine.

Subscribe

View the Current
Issue

Take a peek inside the latest issue of Jazzwise magazine.

Find out more