Piano Trios | Top Albums

	Bill Evans/Sunday at the Village Vanguard The example by which all other piano trios will be judged for some time to come. Evans pioneered the idea that the trio was an autonomous group rather than a pianist accompanied by bass and drums. The group that recorded this performance didn't last long, as bassist Scott LaFaro was killed in an auto accident shortly afterwards. Waltz for Debby, a companion piece recorded at the same Vanguard performances, is just as transcendent and well worth having as well.
	Bill Evans/The Tokyo Concert Yes, it's still Bill Evans, but with a different trio, comprised of bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Marty Morell. Released in 1973, this demonstrates how Evans had matured and grown in the years since the Village Vanguard recordings, and the new trio still has that magic.
	Chick Corea/Now He Sings, Now He Sobs Long one of the most influential recordings on jazz pianists (and long unavailable, but now remastered thanks to Blue Note), this date finds the youthful Corea in the company of Miroslav Vitous and Roy Haynes. Here, Corea reined in his free jazz leanings of the time and turned in an album that was accessible and beautiful, yet managed to create a new paradigm for the piano trio. Recently Corea returned to trio work with the excellent Past, Present, and Futures, and while it doesn't quite compare to Now He Sings it does demonstrate that Corea hasn't lost a thing in his ability to work the trio mode.
	Ahmad Jamal/The Awakening Jamal has his supporters and detractors, but this is his essence boiled down and served up with soul. The performances are subtle, but there is drive behind them that cannot be denied.
	Oscar Peterson/Night Train This recording gets the edge because it presents the classic Peterson trio, with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen, doing what they do best: swinging. However, the two-disc At Zardi's, with Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis, is a close second. Both of these recordings demonstrate Peterson's unique gifts as a pianist and the groups work together like an organic unit.
	Keith Jarrett Trio/Whisper Not Jarrett and company tear through an incredible collection of classic jazz material, and their interplay recalls the Golden Standard set by the Bill Evans Trio. There's the bebop of "Groovin' High" and "Bouncin' With Bud", the beauty of "Prelude to a Kiss" and "Chelsea Bridge", and the sheer delight of hearing Jarrett pay homage to an influence of his youth, Ahmad Jamal, with a rendition of "Poincana". Truly a highlight in a career of highlights.
	Tommy Flanagan/Jazz Poet The always tasteful Flanagan, who played on such classic jazz albums as Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus and John Coltrane's Giant Steps here leads a trio with bassist George Mraz and drummer Kenny Washington, whose brushwork is exquisite. There are bopping burners and more romantic fare here, but the trio is superb throughout.
	Nat "King" Cole/After Midnight Sessions Cole was criticized, much like Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall after him, for abandoning the piano in favor of becoming a pop star, and this album (expanded to include the full recorded sessions) was an answer to those who felt he couldn't play straight ahead jazz...and what an answer!
	Ray Bryant Trio/Ray Bryant Trio An impressive debut with bassist Ike Isaacs and drummer Specs Wright, who were working together with Carmen McRae when this album was cut. There's tinges of gospel, lots of funkiness, and the sense that a fresh voice has arrived on the scene.
	Ramsey Lewis Trio/Down to Earth The obvious choice is the trio's live recording The In Crowd which earned them a huge charing hit, but this collection is the real deal. "Greensleeves", "Come Back to Sorrento", "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child", and "John Henry" are all given swinging, soulful workouts that are impossible to resist.
	McCoy Tyner/Live at Sweet Basil Recorded in 1989, this two-disc set captures Tyner in his natural element--live, and with a trio that includes bassist Avery Sharpe and drummer Aaron Scott. The results are great, with Tyner, one of jazz music's most percussive pianists, building a two-handed harmonic edifice that places him among the greats.