Kenny Barron's Concentric Circles is the legendary jazz pianist's first bona fide quintet release since 2003's Images and it is a fine affair, skirting around the lighter edges of bop, with Afro-Latin and bossa nova traces.
This pleasurable, unpretentious album kicks off with the effervescent DPW, a nostalgic tribute to Ditmas Park West, the corner of Brooklyn in which Barron grew up. Mike Rodriguez's trumpet and Dayna Stephens' sax lead proceedings in a bright exchange on the first of four Barron originals in sequence.
The title track, Concentric Circles follows, a mellifluous waltz featuring a lengthy run from Barron himself on piano and warm, slick soloing from Stephens and Rodriguez. Kiyosshi Kitagawa on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums are astutely quiet throughout this one. In fact they never aim to steal anyone's thunder throughout the album, although Kitagawa allows himself a rather poised, understated solo during that title track. It's not about thunder anyway, or egoistic showcasing and there is the sense of musicians playing very much as a democratic collective.
Blue Waters is, well, bluesy, while A Short Journey is like a slower blues, sombre, shimmering and curiously hesitant, with the influence of Coltrane and/or Mingus surely to be discerned.
Aquele Frevo Axe, a Caetano Veloso/ Cesar Medes tune - and the longest here at 8:16 - is an indulgent sun-trap of bossa nova and it glints into consciousness like a Copacabana sea glistening in the tropical morning heat. Everybody takes the energy down a peg or two and you could imagine Stan Getz joining in and blowing some.
In the Dark is a tender, willowy piece in which Barron's silken lines give way to sultry, minimalist sax and venerably smooth Milesian trumpet and it is very appealing indeed.
