Howard Riley is an unsung pianist who straddles the difficult, though highly rewarding fence between free and post-bop jazz. Jaki Bayard duos with
Riley on a nearly 20-minute version of "Round Midnight" and a take of
Monk's "Straight No Chaser" recorded live in London.
Riley and Bayard share a common language that blends their sounds, making it sometimes difficult to distinguish one from the other. The remaining six tracks feature
Riley with his trio (Mario Castonari on bass and Tony Marsh on drums) in the studio for what appear to be totally improvised vignettes ("Yesterdays" is an exception). Within this framework,
Riley successfully explores a wide variety of moods and colors. Just slightly left-of-center, these rewarding ventures deliver in an expressly subtle way, and possess the potential to introduce the pianist to a wider audience. ~ Steven Loewy