Dave Bass Music

THE TRIO – VOL.3, the newest recording by pianist and composer DAVE BASS, is a lyrical, freewheeling buffet of solid originals to-gether with an eclectic assortment of compositions ranging from the American Songbook to the jazz songbook to a Piazzolla tango.  This is Bass’ sixth CD as a leader and follows The Trio – Vol. 2, The Trio – Vol. 1, No Boundaries, NYC Sessions, and Gone. Glide Magazine calls Vol. 2, “an unending exposition on imagination, with consummate grace and alacrity.” Bass adopted the trio format in 2021. “In jazz, the piano trio is one of the most demanding and revealing disciplines – perhaps the ultimate challenge for a jazz pianist,” says Bass. “There is nowhere to hide, and all is revealed. When successful, the trio format allows for a wonderful telepathy between the players, and I am delighted that this has happened with bassist Kerry Kashiwagi and drummer Scott Gordon.” Kashiwagi and Gordon also appeared on Vol.1 and Vol. 2. They have played many trio gigs with Dave, resulting in the profound musical intimacy of VOL. 3. Guitarist Barry Finnerty, who recorded with the likes of Miles Davis, Brecker Brothers, Hubert Laws, and Ray Barretto, appears as a guest artist on three of the 12 tracks on VOL. 3. The trio once again displays the deep empathy of a band that sounds like they have been playing together for decades. Bass’ interpretations breathe new life into the standards while avoiding novelty-for-novelty’s sake. Bass and company are superb musicians, and the music on THE TRIO – VOL. 3 is by turns whimsical, swinging, soulful, eloquent, and always adventurous.