Eri Yamamoto Trio - Firefly (2013)

The deeply lyrical and prolific pianist/composer Eri Yamamoto returns quickly to record with Firefly, a brand new collection of wholly original and indelible songs, this time performed live in intimate concert, with her decade-long devoted trio of bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Ikuo Takeuchi. Following so directly on their previous acclaimed and rife with riches album, The Next Page (itself following In Each Day, Something Good and Redwods), Yamamoto s consistently luminous writing, and the trio s telepathic performances thereof, is astonishing. The heft of emotional weight and remarkably honed craft once again on full display here is made all the more remarkable for their ability to make it sound so effortless. This is Yamamoto s first-ever live album, recorded in December 2012 at the piano showroom Klavierhaus in NYC by renowned jazz photographer and recording engineer Jimmy Katz. Communion with the audience suffuses the performances, and the band stretches out accordingly. Eri s improvisations dive into and float atop the essence of her melodies and the rhythm of a larger collective heartbeat.

Tracklist:

01 - Memory Dance
02 - A Few Words
03 - Around on the Way
04 - Firefly
05 - Heart
06 - Echo
07 - Playground
08 - Real Story

Personnel:

Eri Yamamoto (piano);
Dave Ambrosio (bass);
Ikuo Takeuchi (drums).