Mr.Taste

Thigpen=great. If you are a jazz lover and appreciate the percussionists, then this is a great album by a usual collaborator jumping in as a leader.

~ Ed Thigpen gained the nickname Mr. Taste because he played with a degree of clarity, control, and precision not often encountered in the bebop and post-bop eras. His use of brushes made him an elite player. The delicacy of his solos was matched by his phenomenally crisp articulation. If you are a fan of jazz drumming you can learn a lot from this master by listening to his brilliant brushwork, his elegant understatement, and his crisp phrasing. You will even hear him playing the drums with his hands crafting sensitive phrases and gentle pastels.~ To put this CD in a context that jazz fans will recognize, think of Ed's tenure with the Oscar Peterson Trio (1959-1965, with Ray Brown on bass). That trio played as an interactive unit with solos flowing from one person to the next seamlessly, with each player providing sensitive and responsive backing during his colleagues solo. In that trio, of course, Oscar Peterson did most of the soloing with Ray and Ed adding the color. In the Ed Thigpen Trio the solo space is much more evenly spread. Both guitarist Tony Purrone and bassist Mads Vinding get plenty of solo space and each demonstrates technical facility and the ability to swing. Both of these musicians deserve broader exposure - I was not even aware of them until I acquired this CD. Purrone's tone is warm; he plays uptempo tunes with great dexterity and fluidity, and he plays ballades with great warmth and sensitivity. The same can be said for Mads Vinding.~ The program ranges from slow, after-hours ballades to full-throttle roaring uptempo tunes. The trio not only gives us bop standards by Jimmy Heath, Charlie Parker, Monk, and Thad Jones, they give us five originals, and a few interesting selections by lesser known composers Sergio Mihanovich and Thomas Clausen.~ If you are interested in hearing a drummer who can teach us all about the art, texture, and color of jazz drumming; if you are interested in hearing fluid interactions between three exceptionally talented musicians, then this is an excellent way to spend almost 70 enjoyable minutes.