Mitchel Forman Trio: Puzzle

Mitchel Forman has been a stalwart in the New York and L.A. jazz scenes for over three decades and he has the body of work to prove it. He has played with the likes of Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker and many others.

He is as adept on electronic keys as he is on the piano and on his new solo album he leads a wonderful group of musicians, bassist Kevin Axt and drummer Steve Hass, through twelve tracks including classic standards and original compositions. Forman plays piano, synth, organ and melodica.

Starting with the slow and ethereal "Death and the Flower/What Is This Thing Called Love", the band somehow takes the Jarrett and Porter compositions and integrates then into a seamlessly flowing piece of riveting jazz. In the Burt Bacharach penned "Alfie" gentle piano and a longing nostalgia make this the kind of stuff of smoke filled piano bars while "Nostalgia" is a blues flavoured piece with an excellent bass solo from Hass. "Passing Smile" is another bluesier track filled with jaunty piano and richly played melodica.

A reimagined version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" is one of the more curious choices but it really works as Forman's piano playing stretches the main melody into a much different realm than the original ever did.

2015 has already seen a wealth of tremendous jazz records and Puzzle is no different in that regard. Jazz fans can't go wrong with this one. Released on BFM Jazz.

Track Listing:
1. Death and the Flower/What Is This Thing Called Love? (8:20)
2. Alfie (6:24)
3. Passing Smile (5:33)
4. Puzzle (5:32)
5. Nostalgia in Times Square (5:11)
6. Ten Cent Wings (5:32)
7. Bounce (3:46)
8. Time After Time (4:19)
9. My Old Room (7:09)
10. Cartoons (4:28)
11. Nimbus (5:02)
12. Old Faces in Windows (6:03)

Added: August 24th 2015
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 2360
Language: english

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