Although Cedar Walton flirted with contemporary sounds and approaches early in his recording career (1967's CEDAR! and 1969's THE ELECTRIC BOOGALOO SONG), he eventually settled into a mature, somewhat conservative post-bop style. Recorded live in Bologna, Italy, THE TRIO has a burnished, refined feel.
The set is stacked with standards--Kurt Weill's "My Ship," Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye," Duke Ellington's "Satin Doll," and "Lover Man." Since Walton's piano voicings are particularly rich in this concert, and since David Williams gets a trebly Eddie Gomez-like singing sound out of his bass, one can't help but compare this trio to those of Bill Evans. While Walton doesn't have Evans' melodic genius, he does imbue the tunes with warmth and swing, and he's confident within his idiom. As always, Billy Higgins' drumming is subtly innovative. Using mostly brushes, Higgins' crisp touch brings focus to the music. Two Walton originals, "Holy Land," and the samba-like "Voices Deep Within Me," end the CD. While trading fours in "Holy Land," the trio enters into a very deep level of swing, and Walton, playing a reference to "The Flight of the Bumblebee," sounds ecstatic.
