Jacky Terrasson: Push (2010)

George Kanzler

Jazz and music critic for major daily newspaper, also syndicated by Newhouse News Service, from 1968 to 2002; frelance since.

Recent articles (110 total)

Published: June 11, 2010

Since winning the Thelonious Monk Piano Competition 17 years ago, Jacky Terrasson has ranged far and wide from his original, striking early trio (with minimalist drummer/percussionist Leon Parker Leon Parker
b.1965
drums ), exploring formats from solo and various duos to larger ensembles. For this, his first album for a new label, he returns with a new trio, featuring recent Monk Competition-winning bassist Ben Williams Ben Williams

bass and drummer Jamire Williams, augmented by guests.

While Terrasson has been likened to Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett
b.1945
piano and Herbie Hancock Herbie Hancock
b.1940
piano , more apt comparisons can be found in such pianist/leaders as Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal
b.1930
piano , Randy Weston Randy Weston
b.1926
piano and Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim
b.1934
piano . He has the pellucid touch and ringing gravity of tone—sharp and percussive—that are hallmarks of those pianists. And when he takes his band into funkier groove territory, as on the bouncy, folkish "Gaux Girl" or the R&B-flavored "Say Yeah," complete with his understated vocals and added guitar and percussion (Matthew Stevens and Cyro Baptista Cyro Baptista

percussion , respectively), there's evidence of a Ramsey Lewis Ramsey Lewis
b.1935
piano populism too.

But this album doesn't hew to a narrow aesthetic; Terrasson's distinctive approach embraces diversity while maintaining a personal sound. His mash-up of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and the standard "Body and Soul"—fragments of it assert themselves half way through and in the coda—employs tropes from Jamal's ensemble arsenal, including abrupt tempo shifts, whiplash dynamics and unexpected turnarounds. And the band, whether just the trio or augmented, maintains a spare, delineated sense of space-time with clean, neo-classical modernist lines. It's crisp and airy, never muddy or dense, even in the helter-skelter racing of "Beat Bop" with judiciously added electronic synth. Although originals dominate, the understated, wistful version of Monk's "Ruby My Dear," with Gregoire Maret Gregoire Maret
b.1975
harmonica 's haunting harmonica and Terrasson's piano tag-teaming the melody, deeply honors tradition, as do a respectful "'Round Midnight" and exuberant "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To."

Track Listing: Gaux Girl; Beat It/Body and Soul; Ruby My Dear; Beat Bop; 'Round Midnight; Morning; My Church; Say Yeah; You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To; Carry Me Away; O Café, O Soliel.

Personnel: Jacky Terrasson: piano, keyboards, vocals; Ben Williams: bass; Jamire Williams: drums; Gregoire Maret: harmonica (3, 8); Jacques Schwarz-Bart: tenor saxophone (6); Matthew Stevens: guitar (8); Cyro Baptista: percussion (8, 10, 11).

Record Label: Concord Music Group
Style: Modern Jazz