Checking In

Jazz piano trios seem to flourish more rapidly than weeds growing in the front yard, yet Boston, MA-based pianist/educator Greg Burk stands rather tall among his peers with this exquisite effort. The pianist benefits from the somewhat legendary talents of drummer Bob Moses and the lesser-known but super-fine bassist Jon Robinson. Burk goes for the jugular via a top-down approach, similar to jazz elder statesman pianist Chick Corea's mode of attack. With this release, Burk displays a penchant for pursuing lushly melodic themes interspersed with a distinct sense of poise to complement his altogether laudable faculties. Simply put, there's a lot of goodness going on here, as the pianist bobs, weaves, and dances atop the rhythm section's bouncy swing grooves. They skirt the free zone while staggering the track mix with gingerly performed ballads and Caribbean motifs. No doubt, the band abides by a credo that comprises a multitude of emotive characteristics; however, it becomes easily discernible that the musicians were up for the occasion. Listeners can look forward to hearing more from this exceptional pianist/composer.