At first impression, post-bop pianist/composer
Baptiste Trotignon looks like a newcomer to the jazz scene, though he has recorded a number of CD since the mid-'90s as a leader on the Naive label. He will likely benefit from the wider distribution of his Sunnyside debut, which features
Trotignon playing 11 originals with various lineups. A gifted pianist who shows lots of promise,
Trotignon's works hold up well to repeated hearings, engaging his rhythm section and telling a story in the process, highlighted by the catchy "Mon Ange," and the wild uptempo blues "Red Light District." Most of the tracks feature the pianist with a trio consisting of bassist
Matt Penman and either
Eric Harland or Otis Brown II on drums, all of whom provide strong support. Of special interest are the tracks featuring guest
Tom Harrell on flugelhorn and tenor saxophonist
Mark Turner, who work together to flesh out the exotic ballad "Samsara" and the playful bop vehicle "Dexter."
Turner's individual feature is the tense post-bop composition "Flow," while
Harrell's showcase is "Blue," an intricate, somewhat pastoral duet with
Trotignon. This outstanding release by
Baptiste Trotignon will likely provoke investigation of his earlier CDs. ~ Ken Dryden