Trio Fascination: Edition One

This was my second trio recording and I wrote all the material for the session, specifically for Dave and Elvin. Dave and I rehearsed to work things got, and then we recorded with Elvin in a very spontaneous way.

We recorded this in two afternoons. Those same nights, I was playing at Bradley’s, with John Hicks, and in Paul Motian’s Trio, with Bill Frissel. And Elvin just turned seventy the week before.

The compositions here are about my life. I wrote Eternal Joy for Elvin and John Coltrane and the joyous music that has inspired me to become who I am today. Studio Rivbea is for Sam River’s loft, where I first met Dave. I dedicated this to Sam, his amazing music and legacy.

Villa Paradiso is about where I live, that’s what Judi and I call our home. Days of Yore was also written for Elvin and his history. His days with the classic Coltrane Quartet inspired this.

The only standard is Ghost of a Chance, a beautiful ballad my Dad used to play that Lester Young made famous. It was one of the last tunes we recorded at the session. During the playback, Judi was sitting with Elvin listening and he commented to her, I love that song. The last time I played it was with Wardell Gray.