Kenny Werner

American jazz piano veteran Kenny Werner displays his artistic maturity on this splendid disc. It was recorded last summer at the Upstairs Jazz Bar and Grill in Montreal, and the results caught the attention of esteemed Montreal label Justin Time. This is a solo piano record, but it certainly doesn't possess a bland dinner party/cocktail bar jazz piano sound. Werner digs deep into the material, demanding your attention, but rewarding it richly. There's a light and delicate feel to his playing, but he's equally convincing in more robust moments. He contributes one original composition, "Balloons," and it fits in snugly with adventurous reworkings of classics like "Round Midnight," "Giant Steps" and "All The Things." Joni Mitchell's "I Had A King" is also tackled effectively, while a lyrical, 13-minute take on Miles Davis's "Blue is Green" is a standout track. Werner refers to this disc as "one of my best offerings," and you're likely to agree.