Stephen McQuarry Trio - Azure - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The Stephen McQuarry Trio-Azure In his career, Stephen McQuarry has been usually heard with larger groups, writing music and playing with big bands, nonets and octets. His previous recording Introductions found him writing inventive arrangements for Resonance, a unique band consisting of a saxophonist, flute, violin, viola, cello, bass, drums and his own piano. However Azure is something much different, a trio set that gives listeners the opportunity to hear Stephen McQuarry's talents as a pianist being fully showcased. InchI had been mostly writing for larger ensembles,Inch says Stephen, Inchbut decided that I should also adapt some of my modal-informed compositions for my trio since we were playing jobs. It ultimately seemed logical to record the tunes with the trio.Inch The pianist first met bassist Ted Burik ten years ago. When while playing InchAutumn LeavesInch they both quoted liberally from Keith Jarrett's version, they bonded as musicians. Stephen met drummer Greg German at a jazz workshop five years agö. InchIt is a pleasure to work with Greg on original music because he can always quickly hear what he needs to do and he fits in perfectly.Inch Both musicians add a great deal to Stephen McQuarry's music, giving the music swing, taste and a strong base on which the pianist can improvise freely. Azure begins with InchBlues For Jack,Inch the first of Stephen's 10 originals. Named after a friend who is a blues guitarist in Boulder, Colorado, InchBlues For JackInch has a melody line and chord voicings that are a bit influenced by John McLaughlin. The swinging piano solo (which at one point quotes from Thelonious Monk's InchStraight No ChaserInch), concise bass improvisation and drum breaks act as a fine introduction to the trio. The title cut InchAzureInch originated out of a piano improvisation from a club appearance that happened to be recorded. The complex medi