In 1996 I began again to listen to piano players. I thought that there had to be jazz pianists who were influenced by the New Orleans stylings of Professor Longhair and James Booker. I was not looking for New Orleans piano per se but to discover jazz pianists that I might like. Well I discovered Ellis Marsalis, the then all jazz Henry Butler, Marcus Roberts, and Cyrus Chestnut. One of my favorite jazz piano albums is Cyrus Chestnut's "Earth Stories". Cyrus Chestnut absolutely nails it on "Decisions, Decisions", the track that opens that album. It was around Christmas when I went to see him at "The Iridium" where he was the leader of one of "The Highlights in Jazz" programs called "Spirituals in Jazz". That night he fronted an all star band. In 2000 Cyrus hit it big with his reinterpretation of "A Charlie Brown's Christmas". He sometimes can be seen backing up a great jazz singer like Kevin Mahogany or playing with Wynton Marsalis.

On February 28th Cyrus Chestnut will release his first album on Telarc Records. On it he is accompanied by his regular trio which includes Michael Hawkins, bass and Neal Smith, drums. Additional artists on board for this session include Russell Malone, guitar and Steven Kroon, percussion.

Highlights include original compositions "The Brown Soldier", "El Numero Tres", and three gospel influenced pieces "Eyes On The Prize", "Through The Valley" and the traditional hymn "Lord I Give Myself To You". "Baby Girl's Strut" is dedicated to his daughter, Jazzmin. "Ellen's Song" is a love song to his wife. Also on the album are three covers. "If", is the early '70s ballad by the soft-rock group "Bread", the Ewan McColl classic "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and Fat Domino's "I'm Walkin".

Cyrus Chestnut's playing is both relaxing and exciting at the same time. His style is distinctive from most other pianists that I've heard. Cyrus says of his music, "I love tradition and traditional music, but I don't like to be locked into tradition, I believe that the hallmark of this music is innovation. It's about searching for something new, and finding out in the process who you really are." Amen.

Telarc Records has another winner as this release is sure to bring a wider audience to the colorful piano stylings of Cyrus Chestnut and garner the label yet another Grammy award nomination. Count on it

Richard Ludmerer
Director, The New York Blues & Jazz Society
ricdale2@yahoo.com