Six years after they originally collaborated for a short tour, Italian pianist Stefano Bollani, Danish bassist Jesper Bodilsen and Danish drummer Morten Lund gathered in New York City in 2008 to record their first proper CD as a trio. The result of their efforts, Stone in the Water, is a subdued collection of nine pieces best suited for late-night candlelight.
After opening with the gently persuasive "Dom de Iludir," essentially a six-minute Bollani solo with minor accompaniment by Bodilsen and Lund and penned by Caetano Veloso (one of four non-original performances on Stone in the Water), Bodilsen's "Orvieto" picks up the mood, as Bollani's playful arrangements interact with Lund's delicate timing. Elsewhere, on "Il Cervello del Pavone," Bodilsen's portentous bass takes over as Bollani's anxious right hand counteracts the ominous death march of his left hand. The trio also offers a compelling take on Francis Poulenc's creative "Improvisation 13 en la Mineur," and "Joker in the Village" ends Stone in the Water with an immensely positive flurry of notes.
Each of these pieces runs between five and eight minutes long, and low-key jazz enthusiasts will swoon.
Track Listing:
1) Dom de Iludir
2) Orvieto
3) Edith
4) Brigas Nunca Mais
5) Il Cervello del Pavone
6) Un Sasso Nello Stagno
7) Improvisation 13 en la Mineur
8) Asuda
9) Joker in the Village