A gently ruminative album - a period piece in some ways even though the tunes are originals - the stylistic area is the classic 1950s and 60s heyday for modern jazz. The best track is the Ahmad Jamal-esque 'Rest and Be Thankful'. Not Josh Morrison this time at the kit in the trio of pianist Gabriel Latchin it is instead the Wyntonian drummer Joe Farnsworth quietly martial before the time changes on a sixpence to swing. And swing with an upper case S is what this trio do well on some fine originals of Latchin's even when the tune for instance 'Prim and Proper' curtails the more extrovert trappings of the instinct.
Around a while, earlier work on the same label of Latchin's was Introducing Gabriel Latchin Trio which came out firstly in 2017, The Moon and I followed two years later and then a Christmas album appeared in 2020. Erstwhile Stacey Kent drummer Morrison was at the kit on all of these recordings.
The dreamy 'A Song For Herbie' at the end is the most quietly modernistic of all the pieces and the way Jeremy Brown - another Stacey Kent connection going back to the classic The Changing Lights and far beyond - moves this along is textbook. Latchin likes to iron out the wrinkles in little bluesy licks to make them linger and quiver on 'Mr Walton'. OK it's all a bit overly generic. But as it is so elegant with a capital E who cares and the classic piano trio format is a dependable form that rewards retrospective treatments.
Sonically handsome the whole thing was recorded at the top Livingston studio in London a place famed for a raft of World Circuit label recordings and where Björk's Debut was recorded 30 years ago. If you like the way Nat King Cole played the piano you will appreciate 'A Mother's Love' most. Out on 21 April. 'Train of Thought' and 'A Mother's Love' are streaming. Dates coming up include Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, 26 April. Gabriel Latchin, photo: Craig McIntosh
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