Click here to view the Vinyl version.

 

Pianist Bill Charlap returns to Blue Note with Street of Dreams, a stunning album featuring his revered longstanding trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Street of Dreams is a celebration of New York City as it emerges from an unprecedentedly challenging period, as reflected in the eight impeccably curated songs on the album, a delightful mix of jazz classics and Songbook favorites. It's also a reflection of the literal and metaphorical road traveled together by Charlap and the Washingtons during nearly 25 years as a trio. During that time they've become so deeply attuned that on Street of Dreams they seem to breathe as one, whether setting off into rollicking swing or fragile balladry. The album is thus a celebration of these three eloquent voices reconvening, so it's apt that this homecoming takes place on Blue Note, which released so many of the trio's acclaimed recordings throughout the first decade of this millennium including Written In The Stars, Stardust, Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, and Live at the Village Vanguard.

Click here to view the CD version.

 

Pianist Bill Charlap returns to Blue Note with Street of Dreams, a stunning album featuring his revered longstanding trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Street of Dreams is a celebration of New York City as it emerges from an unprecedentedly challenging period, as reflected in the eight impeccably curated songs on the album, a delightful mix of jazz classics and Songbook favorites. It's also a reflection of the literal and metaphorical road traveled together by Charlap and the Washingtons during nearly 25 years as a trio. During that time they've become so deeply attuned that on Street of Dreams they seem to breathe as one, whether setting off into rollicking swing or fragile balladry. The album is thus a celebration of these three eloquent voices reconvening, so it's apt that this homecoming takes place on Blue Note, which released so many of the trio's acclaimed recordings throughout the first decade of this millennium including Written In The Stars, Stardust, Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, and Live at the Village Vanguard.

2021 release. Pianist Bill Charlap returns to Blue Note with Street of Dreams, a stunning album featuring his revered longstanding trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Street of Dreams is a celebration of New York City as it emerges from an unprecedentedly challenging period, as reflected in the eight impeccably curated songs on the album, a delightful mix of jazz classics and Songbook favorites. It's also a reflection of the literal and metaphorical road traveled together by Charlap and the Washingtons during nearly 25 years as a trio. During that time they've become so deeply attuned that on Street of Dreams they seem to breathe as one, whether setting off into rollicking swing or fragile balladry. The album is thus a celebration of these three eloquent voices reconvening, so it's apt that this homecoming takes place on Blue Note, which released so many of the trio's acclaimed recordings throughout the first decade of this millennium including Written In The Stars, Stardust, Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, and Live at the Village Vanguard.

Japanese paper sleeve pressing. Venus. 2011.

LOVE IS HERE TO STAY delivers heart swells aplenty. Singer Sandy Stewart and pianist Bill Charlie are a mother and son duo to watch for.

2024 release. And Then Again is a spirited live recording of the Bill Charlap Trio featuring the pianist's longtime band with Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums at the Village Vanguard. The album captures one of the great working jazz groups of our day on a particularly inspired Saturday evening at the iconic NYC jazz club. It's a delightful hour of high-wire swing and stunning balladry that documents the trio's continuing evolution. The repertoire includes pieces by great jazz composers including Thelonious Monk, Dave Brubeck and Kenny Barron as well as timeless standards like "All The Things You Are," "Darn That Dream," and "The Man I Love."

Track Listing
1. C Jam Blues
2. Solitude
3. Mood Indigo
4. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
5. Lush Life
6. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
7. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
8. Caravan
9. Take the "A" Train
10. Cotton Tail
11. Sophisticated Lady

Personnel: Harry Allen (tenor saxophone); Bill Charlap (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Kenny Washington (drums).
Recorded at Nola Recording Studios, New York, New York on July 28 & 29, 1999. Includes liner notes by Harry Allen.
Personnel: Harry Allen (tenor saxophone); Bill Charlap (piano); Kenny Washington (drums).
Liner Note Author: Harry Allen.
Recording information: Nola Recording Studios, New York, NY (07/28/1999/07/29/1999).
Photographer: Junichi Takahashi.
Allen's tenor sax sound is perfectly suited for the music of Duke Ellington. His literate, traditional approach and occasionally Stan Getz-ian breathy tones go to the heart of Duke's melodic and harmonic concepts. Pianist Bill Charlap is excellent through and through, while bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington are dutiful in attending to their swing. Several of these tracks are read pretty straight, as the ballad "Lush Life," the easy swinger "Just Squeeze Me," the Afro-Cuban to bop "Caravan," and the air-filled "Sophisticated Lady." But the band changes up the rest. At the least extreme, "Mood Indigo" is easy swing as opposed to balladic; "Take the A Train" is slowed way down with Allen and Charlap only, while the pianist plays the melody while Allen's tenor counter-swipes licks on "C Jam Blues." More adapted is the slow tick-tock to bossa of the usual wall-melting ballad "Solitude," and a low-down, lugubrious bluesy swing with Charlap loading up on the intro and melody of "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," with Allen's stacatto stopped accents. At their most energetic, the quartet charges hard and trade eights during the up-tempo workout "Cotton Tail," whereas Allen and bassist Washington in duet need no other instrumental accoutrements in order to rhythmically fire up "It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing." This is most likely Allen's best batch yet, for he is a great interpreter rather than innovator. Duke did all the inventing necessary here, and this true collective quartet is hard to top.

Jazz pianist is in a trio setting, feat. bassist Peter Washington & drummer Kenny Washington.

Sensitive & swinging pianist plays with trio including Bassist Scott Colley & drummer Dennis Mackrel.

Pianist is joined in a trio setting by Sean Smith-bass & Bill Stewart-drms, performing originals & standards.

Vinyl LP pressing. 2024 release. And Then Again is a spirited live recording of the Bill Charlap Trio featuring the pianist's longtime band with Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums at the Village Vanguard. The album captures one of the great working jazz groups of our day on a particularly inspired Saturday evening at the iconic NYC jazz club. It's a delightful hour of high-wire swing and stunning balladry that documents the trio's continuing evolution. The repertoire includes pieces by great jazz composers including Thelonious Monk, Dave Brubeck and Kenny Barron as well as timeless standards like "All The Things You Are," "Darn That Dream," and "The Man I Love."