When my Producer and long-time friend Pat Philips Stratta called to tell me that I had received the 2023 Living Masters award from the SmallsLIVE Foundation, I felt so honored! I was particularly pleased because it also gave me the opportunity to play at Mezzrow for two nights and record a CD in the afternoon of day three. For the first time in many years, I chose to change my Trio format and go back to Piano, Bass and Drums. For the last 20 years, my trio was piano, bass and guitar inspired by the great trios of Nat King Cole and Oscar Peterson. That requires everything to be arranged and lots of rehearsals, and I’ve been living in Ojai, California for the last 30 years, so rehearsals are not easy. This occasion gave me the opportunity to come East, and just kick back and play with my long-time colleague, Jay Leonhart on bass, and a musician I deeply admire (new to my trio) Dennis Mackrel on drums. For repertoire, I decided to choose mostly historical jazz standards that I’ve always loved, but I couldn’t stay away from arranging or guitar totally, so I invited Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur to be my special guest.

This swinging session focuses on a dozen standards from the vast Duke Ellington songbook. Bassist Jay Leonhart sings along with his bass a la Slam Stewart to open "In a Mellotone" and "C Jam Blues." A loping "Azure" features Joe Beck's brash guitar contrasting with Gary Burton's bluesy vibes. Burton and Leonhart's smoking duo version of "Take the 'A' Train" and a soft pretty take of "Isfahan" (omitting Beck) are the top tracks of the date. A pleasant, if not essential CD.