PAPATAMUS REDUX

AVAILABLE ON BANDCAMP  (RECORDED NOVEMBER 2023 – APRIL 2024)

With the release of The Peacocks, Michael Jefry Stevens firmly confirms his reputation as a thinking pianist. From the opening notes of “Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry” to the refrain of “Chelsea Bridge,” you can sense Stevens thinking about the melodies, the harmonies and the lyrics of the tunes he investigates on his fourth solo outing.
What impresses me most about Stevens’ approach is the way in which he caresses the melodies while exploring all the opportunities the harmonies and rhythms provide and suggest. It’s as if you are hearing tunes such as “The Peacocks,” “You Are Too Beautiful,” “O Grande Amor” and the other 12 familiar tunes for the first time. There are no pyrotechnics, no parlor tricks, no unnecessary notes, no speed for speed’s sake and no meandering solos. This is music played with passion, invention and a true appreciation for the composers who gifted us with these wonderful tunes. There are two stars on this record — the inventiveness of Stevens and the pure beauty of the tunes themselves.

BOTTOM LINE:  Michael Jefry Stevens’ playing impresses by simply not impressing, and that is the greatest compliment for this pianist who released his first recording with saxophonist Mark Whitecage in 1991. Stevens’ use of space as well as his sense of on-the-spot exploration of 15 familiar tunes is uncanny. This is surely a “Maybeck-worthy” recital!