Michel Petrucciani - Pianism (Blue Note, 1985)

This post is by Dan

Michel Petrucciani (p); Palle Danielsson (b); Eliot Zigmund (d)

Recorded December 20, 1985

Pianism can be regarded as the studio version of Michel Petrucciani's Village Vanguard trio, reviewed earlier in this blog. It was recorded the year following the Vanguard gig and offered a completely new set of tunes. It's a balanced set containing two standards ("Night and Day" and "Here's That Rainy Day") and four Petrucciani originals. The uncanny communication among the group in the studio matches that of the live recording.

The trio is genuinely international. Danielsson was born in Sweden in 1949 while Zigmund is a New Yorker, born in 1945. The much younger Petrucciani was born in France. They prove that jazz is a universal language, more driven by musical heritage than nationality. 

In this case, the musical heritage can be traced back to Bill Evans' famous trios. Although Petrucciani is far more than a strict disciple of Evans' style, it's hard to escape the Evans influence given the trio format and approach. No shade or shame are intended by this observation; it's just a reminder of Bill Evans' huge impact on piano trios that continues to the present. 

I like to recognize the sidemen by inserting photos taken about the time of the posted album's recording. As great rhythm section players, both Zigmund and Danielsson have extensive discographies and have led their own recordings. Both Danielsson and Zigmund also played on Bill Evans' albums recorded in the last years of the pianist's life. While pianists like Petrucciani often choose to play solo, the bassists and drummers often add spontaneity that drives the music in exciting directions. Pianism illustrates how the music of a trio is more than the sum of parts, as trite as that may sound. Petrucciani's trio is clearly in sync from beginning to end. 

This one is a true gem.