Lyle Mays, who came to fame for his electric collaborations with
Pat Metheny, surprised many with this superior outing in an acoustic trio setting. On the liner jacket
Mays thanks
Herbie Hancock,
Keith Jarrett, and
Paul Bley for their inspiration. If one adds in
Chick Corea and especially
Bill Evans, that should give listeners an idea of what to expect. However, to his credit (and with the assistance of bassist
Marc Johnson and drummer
Jack Dejohnette)
Mays avoids performing overly played standards and sticks mostly to originals (including two free improvisations). There is no coasting on this excellent set. ~ Scott Yanow