Customer Reviews

Bond: The Paris Sessions

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gerald Clayton sounds great, by himself he gets 5 stars from me. I give the CD 3 stars mainly because drummer Justin Brown brings it down for me. I liked him on Carlo De Rosa's Brain Dance, and at least he was in the fold with the rest of them on that generally over-rated album, When the Heart Emerges Glistening, but Brown bugs me here. I'm not crazy about bassist Joe Sanders here either. In the notes Clayton talks about how they've come together, I say not yet. Both of these guys sound like they make Clayton play with them, rather than the other way around. It should be a shared experience, but the bass and drums should really support the piano, the leader. Sanders gets it better than Brown on this one, but there's too many times this sounds divided. Clayton plays so beautifully I would think it would be easy for the rhythm section to get right on board. To them I would recommend Billy Taylor With Earl May & Ed Thigpen, not to play the same thing or in the same style, but to strive for that unity. Sanders and Brown need to set aside their egos and get in the spirit, but they're still young. Clayton is young but doesn't need an excuse, he's the real deal.

The Gerald Clayton Trio has made a wonderful recording here. The music is completely engaging, original, and creative. Gerald Clayton's piano playing is superb! Beautiful, spiritual, tightly played. I also recommend their other recording, "Two Shade."

A wonderful example of a young trio that works !! Gerald Clayton is surely the diamond here but also the rythm section works great , displaying great arrangements , specials and so on . An higly recomandable work , fresh and full of life .

Last Saturday I was at their concert in Amsterdam. Immediately after I bought this album. What a great group and what a marvelous recording! The pianist, Gerald Clayton, is truly amazing. Guys, you deserve to be world famous!