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Geoff Eales Trio

The Homecoming

33JAZZ143

As anyone present at the trio gig Geoff Eales played recently at the Vortex will know, he is one of the UK's most vibrant pianists, capable both of injecting life into standards and of infusing his original compositions with vigour and energy.

On this, his fifth album as leader, Eales is joined by his regular rhythm section, bassist Roy Babbington and drummer Mark Fletcher, on a skilfully varied programme that begins with a zesty visit to Cole Porter's 'All of You', emphasises all the rhythmic subtlety of 'Poinciana' and visits Jobim ('Triste'), Berlin ('How Deep is the Ocean?') and 'Beautiful Love' to great effect, Eales bouncing ideas off his bandmates in a series of bright but controlled explorations.

As might be expected from a man inspired by Bill Evans, though, there is a rich vein of tender thoughtfulness running through the trio's music, and 'Ballad for the Lost Souls', a threnody for victims of 9/11, is at once moving and challenging.

There are nods to other Eales heroes (Fats Waller, Charlie Parker, Evans himself), but overall, Eales, both as composer and soloist, is very much his own man, unshowily virtuosic, hard-swinging where required, but capable of affecting delicacy where appropriate, and his trio is a wonderfully responsive unit, which can be seen on a forthcoming autumn tour.