Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ellery Eskelin Trio New York: About (or On), First Visit
Ellery Eskelin Trio New York: About (or On), First Visit
Ellery Eskelin
saxophone, tenorb.1959
Gerald Cleaver
drumsb.1963
Before the conversation turns too metaphysical, let's ground it: this is still a jazz recording, created by three deeply accomplished artists. Eskelin, raised by musical parents—his father a songwriter and his mother an organist in Baltimore—has long been recognized for his adventurous spirit. From his 1990s improvising collective Joint Venture to his acclaimed trio with
Andrea Parkins
accordion
Jim Black
drums
Satoko Fujii
pianob.1958
John Hollenbeck
drumsb.1968
Gary Versace is equally versatile, switching seamlessly between piano, organ, and accordion. His work on the B3 organ defies expectations, eschewing bluesy grit for something more subtle and haunting. Gerald Cleaver, a go-to drummer for avant-garde leaders, brings deep rhythmic knowledge and a flexible touch. Recently, he's been exploring electronic textures, further broadening his musical palette.
The two discs—recorded in 2011 and 2013—were originally released on Eskelin's own Prime Source label but quickly went out of print. Now, under the guidance of ezz-thetics founder Werner X. Uehlinger, these recordings have been remastered and reissued, offering listeners a second chance to engage with the trio's deeply personal approach to the American Songbook.
Technically, this is an organ trio—but not the kind that evokes smoky lounges or greasy funk. They play standards, but not in the standard way. Eskelin's sound exists in a paradox: rooted in the past, yet unmistakably modern. His fondness for vintage instruments and early jazz repertoire coexists with an ear for abstraction and spontaneous re-invention. On this recording, the most recent composition is Cy Coleman's 1957 "Witchcraft," while the oldest is Turner Layton's "After You're Gone," dating back to 1918.
Eskelin's titles, often subtle reimaginings of the originals, reflect the interpretive nature of the music. "On (or About)...Endless," for instance, is his meditation on Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is the Ocean?" (1932). Rather than a straightforward rendition, it emerges like a fogged- over memory—delicate, elusive, and emotionally resonant. Versace's B3 organ sounds more like a meditative church instrument than a juke joint staple, and Cleaver's brushwork conjures a spectral echo of the familiar melody.
This is jazz that operates on multiple levels. For those fluent in the standards, there are subtle allusions and revelations—moments where a phrase or harmonic gesture clicks into place like a key in a lock. For others, unaware of the source material, the music offers a richly expressive experience on its own terms.
Nowhere is this duality more evident than in the group's take on two
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
There is a quiet sophistication in the way the trio navigates these songs. They are hip, but never ironic. The music is thoughtful, emotionally resonant, and elegantly understated. There is no showboating here, no desire to shock or dazzle. Instead, there's a shared sense of inquiry, a willingness to let the music breathe and unfold organically. ">
Track Listing
About (or On)...Rumination (Ellery Eskelin) Memories of You (Eubie Blake); About (or On)...Monk (Ellery Eskelin) Off Minor (Thelonious Monk); About (or On)...Conjuring (Ellery Eskelin) Witchcraft (Cy Coleman); About (or On)...Desire (Ellery Eskelin) Lover Come Back to Me (Sigmund Romberg); About (or On)...Endless (Ellery Eskelin) How Deep is the Ocean (Irving Berlin); About (or On)...Celestial (Ellery Eskelin) The Midnight Sun (Lionel Hampton & Sonny Burke); About (or On)...Happenstance (Ellery Eskelin) Just One of Those Things (Cole Porter); About (or On)...Monk (Ellery Eskelin) We See (Thelonoius Monk); About (or On)...Aspiration (Ellery Eskelin) My Ideal (Richard A. Whiting & Newell Chase); About (or On)...Regret (Ellery Eskelin) After You've Gone (Turner Layton); About (or On)...Flame (Ellery Eskelin) Flamingo (Ted Grouya & Edmund Anderson).
Personnel
Additional Instrumentation
Gary Versace: organ (all tracks).
Album information
Title: About (or On), First Visit | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Ezz-thetics
Tags
Ellery Eskelin Trio New York
Album Review
Mark Corroto
About (or On), First Visit
Ezz-Thetics
Ellery Eskelin
Gary Versace
Gerald Cleaver
Andrea Parkins
Jim Black
Satoko Fujii
John Hollenbeck
Thelonious Monk
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