Customer Reviews

Joanne Grauer Trio

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Thanks to Amazon, we are all able to preview albums we might never have given a second thought to. Happens to me here all the time and I have found numerous treasures this way.

Here is another gem, Joanne Grauer Trio, from a little know label, Mode Records which released a whole slew of outstanding records back in the late 1950's. Thanks to VSOP, they have all been rejuvenated. Not once during the late 1950s to mid 1960s can I ever recall hearing anything released on Mode played on the local FM stations. Too bad for us back then, but it's fun playing catchup these days!

For lovers of first rate modern jazz piano, here's one for your library. On this recording, Ms Grauer performs some of the finest jazz piano I have ever heard from a female pianist. Her style is like an amalgam of Bud Powell, Hampton Hawes, Lou Levy and maybe even a little Andre Previn of that period. Hers is a straight ahead approach rather than a soulful one. And despite her influences, she has a great style all her own.

Joanne is joined here by Buddy Clark on bass and Mel Lewis on drums who provide the solid support you would expect. Grauer swings effortlessly through 8 tracks consisting of both standards and original compositions. The tunes are primarily up tempo but there is a wonderful solo piano treatment of "Invitation." The sound quality overall is very good and was recorded in mono.

As for ratings, I give this one ****1/2 stars. I've taken off half a star because there are fadeouts on a couple of tunes where I would have preferred endings to the tunes. To me this lets down a little an otherwise excellent performance of "I'll Remember April."

Criticisms aside, this is still an excellent offering of first rate modern jazz piano trio work that should please aficionados of the genre.