Joanne Brackeen always keeps the listener guessing with her unpredictable style of playing piano, and this 1976 trio session is no exception. Joined by bassist
Clint Houston and drummer
Billy Hart,
Brackeen takes charge with her swirling up-tempo blues "Six Ate" and her equally complex ballad, "Echoes." The loping "Canyon Lady," written by fellow pianist Mark Levine, is recast as a strutting samba, while
Wayne Shorter's lovely ballad "Iris" is a dramatic jewel in
Brackeen's hands, with the bonus of a superb arco bass solo by
Houston.
Bronislaw Kaper's brilliant standard "Invitation" is played a bit faster than typical, with superb interaction by the trio.
Brackeen's roller coaster "C-Sri" is another wild blues that has her distinctive sound stamped all over it. Out of print since the sale of the Black Lion catalog to 1201 Music, this rewarding trio CD deserves to be reissued. ~ Ken Dryden