Although relatively underpublicized,
Billy Childs is gradually becoming one of the giants of jazz, both as a writer and as a pianist. Two of his compositions (including "Flanagan," a tribute to
Tommy Flanagan) are included in this set's repertoire, but the emphasis on this trio date is very much on
Childs' skills as a pianist. With bassist
Tony Dumas and drummer
Billy Kilson,
Childs explores a variety of high-quality material, including
John Coltrane's "Satellite,"
Ivan Lins' "The Island,"
Cedar Walton's "Bolivia," and
Bill Evans' "34 Skidoo." Most impressive is the fact that
Billy Childs does not sound like anyone else.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi