After 27 years and nearly 20 albums, it still bears repeating that Bill Charlap is one of the great jazz piano players, and that his trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington is one of the great working jazz groups of our day. But what does that mean, and why does it need reiterating?

It means everything that can be heard on the Bill Charlap Trio’s new Blue Note release, „And Then Again“, recorded live at the Village Vanguard: The locked-in accord and extrasensory communication shared among the three musicians. The fleet yet diamond-sharp decision-making that happens bar after bar, tune after tune. The terra firma of the repertoire set against the improvised pluck of the arranging, and the many wonderful, unforgettable moments that ensue.

And ultimately, it means understanding that individualism within the tradition is paramount — the idea that only these three musicians with these three stories could ever produce this sound. Or, as the genial pianist puts it, simply and beautifully: “We play how we play, and we play the music we love.”

Tracklist:

A1. And Then Again (Kenny Barron) (7:01)
A2. All The Things You Are (Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II) (5:02)
A3. ‘Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) (5:27)
A4. In Your Own Sweet Way (Dave Brubeck) (6:23)
B1. Darn That Dream (Jimmy Van Heusen/Edgar DeLange) (6:05)
B2. Sometimes I’m Happy (Vincent Youmans/Irving Caesar) (7:24)
B3. The Man I Love (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) (4:04)
B4. (I Don’t Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance With You (Victor Young/Ned Washington/Bing Crosby) (5:15)

Bill Charlap: Piano / Peter Washington: Bass / Kenny Washington: Drums
Recorded live at Village Vanguard, New York, NY - 2023
Produced by Bill Charlap