Top and best pianist-led album of 2020 Acceptance soars for the engrossing, Weather Report-like atmosphere of 'Leimert Park,' the warp speed fastness of Billy Childs' piano on 'Dori' or possibly even better the title track itself where you just lose yourself in the song itself and emerge somehow a different person. Childs' version of 'It Never Entered My Mind' is also a considerable masterclass in its concision and again that mature mastery of mood. An album, on which Childs switches from Fender Rhodes to piano, that's not about fireworks more subtle rapport shaped around saxist Steve Wilson, Hans Glawischnig on electric bass, Eric Harland on drums and Munyungo Jackson on congas with very effective guest vocal contributions from Alicia Olatuja, Aubrey Johnson and Sara Gazarek and the flautist Elena Pinderhughes. The very clean unglossy production does not get in the way of the album and you can actually get a sense of the clarity of the compositional mind at work. Something special is going on here.
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