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Roberto Magris Trio: Kansas City Outbound

By Dan McClenaghan
October 1, 2009
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Roberto Magris Trio: Kansas City Outbound

Italian pianist Roberto Magris has, much in the mode of American piano icon

Jessica Williams

piano
1948 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Jessica Williams, melded multiple influences to shape his style. He channels

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner,

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's pianist in his 1960's rise to jazz stardom, on Kansas City Outbound's opener/title tune. Dense chords and a powerful percussive attack are the well-executed game plan for the tune. Considering the bassist on this piano trio set, the connection's not surprising. In a small degree of Coltrane/Tyner separation, the late

Art Davis

bass, acoustic
1934 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Davis, bassist on Trane's Ole Coltrane (Atlantic Records, 1961), Africa Brass (Impulse!, 1961) and Ascension (Impulse!, 1965), lays the foundation on the dark, churning rhythmic insistence of the Magris-penned Kansas City Outbound—both the high-energy tune and the CD.

With a mix of Great American Songbook tunes like "I Fall in Love Too Easily," "Darn That Dream," and "Alone Together," the pianist has added some jazz classics like

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing" and

Andrew Hill

piano
1931 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Hill's "Reverend Du Bop," wrapped around four of Magris' own top level compositions, to create one of the more engaging piano trios sets of the year.

Magris' timely "Iraqi Blues" eschews political statement. The tribute to the people who have died in the war-torn country seems not angry, but full of sorrow and forward momentum, teetering on the edge of chaos, seeming to ask the question "is there hope?" between

Cecil Taylor

piano
1929 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Taylor-like keyboard bursts.

On

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing," Magris explores an

Art Tatum

piano
1909 - 1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Tatum mood via

Oscar Peterson

piano
1925 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Oscar Peterson, perhaps, with light flourishes and sharp, zinging notes. "Reverend Du Bop" drifts inward in a way that, like much of Hill's songbook, shifts back and forth over the simplicity/complexity border, showcasing Magris' subtle keyboard touch.

"Bemsha Swing" opens with Taylor muscling the melody, soon joined by Magris' fingers dancing adroitly through its Monkian angles, while in a reverent take on

Benny Carter

saxophone, alto
1907 - 2003

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Carter's Lonely Woman," Magris sounds absolutely lovely.

In a year featuring numerous excellent piano trio outings, Kansas City Outbound sits on the top shelf, gleaming with the best of them.

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Track Listing

01. Kansas City Outbound (Magris) - 3:24; 02. I Fall In Love Too Easily (Cahn-Styne) - 8:38; 03. Iraqi Blues (Magris) - 7:09; 04. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (Strayhorn) - 4:22; 05. KC Inbound (Magris) - 3:25; 06. Reverend Du Bop (Hill) - 7:38; 07. Rainbow Eyes (Magris) - 3:21; 08. Bemsha Swing (Monk) -5:21; 09. Lonely Woman (Carter) - 4:02; 10. Darn That Dream (Burke-Van Heusen) - 6:43; 11. Alone Together (Dietz-Schwartz) - 6:30; 12. Bye Bye Baby (Cahn-Styne) - 5:06.

Personnel

Roberto Magris

piano

Roberto Magris (pianoforte); Art Davis (contrabbasso); Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson e Zack Albetta (batteria).

Album information

Title: Kansas City Outbound | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: JMOOD* RECORDS

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