Tackling his own material, with nary a vintage standard within earshot,
Petrucciani combines his assertive, driving, mainstream piano with two different trios on two separate occasions. The first half of the program features the hard-swinging combination of bassist
Gary Peacock and drummer
Roy Haynes, augmented on "One For Us" by the slightly withdrawn guitar of
John Abercrombie. The second half finds bassist
Eddie Gomez and drummer
Al Foster providing somewhat smoother, perhaps more conventional support, occasionally with a Latin twinge, and
Abercrombie and percussionist
Steve Thornton sit in on one number apiece.
Petrucciani's compositions are certainly worthy pieces, but as always, the pianist's direct, intelligently probing solos leave the source material way behind; he's an improviser through and through. ~ Richard S. Ginell