Ted Rosenthal: The Good Old Days

TMR MUSIC (RELEASED MAY 1, 2026)

In the context of baseball, Ted Rosenthal could easily be considered a utility player. Since winning the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 1988, Rosenthal has demonstrated his ability to competently play multiple positions — as a solo pianist, an accompanist to vocalists such as Mark Murphy and Ann Hampton Callaway, a composer, a well-respected sideman for artists such as Art Farmer, Phil Woods and Gerry Mulligan, an educator and a recording artist with close to 20 sessions under his one name. His latest records, The Good Old Days is the final chapter to his Trios in 4 Acts series and demonstrates his versatility, virtuosity and vibrancy as a pianist and bandleader. Rosenthal kicks things off with Martin Wind on bass and Tim Horner on drums delivering a lively rendition of Cole Porter’s “From This Moment On.” That same trio is heard on meticulously played versions of Hoagy Carmichael’s ballad “Two Sleepy People” and Vernon Duke’s “Autumn in New York” as well as the slow groove of Rosenthal’s “Sultry Sweetie.” Bassist Norika Ueda and drummer Quincy Jones join Rosenthal on “Back Home in Okayama,” Rosenthal’s reworking of “Indiana” complete with quotes from Dizzy Gillespie’s “Bebop” (his reworking of “Indiana”). That same trio accompanies clarinetist Ken Peplowski on two more Rosenthal originals — an old-school up-tempo romp called “Hot Sauce” and the calypso groove of “Sonny Side Up.” As always, Peplowski’s playing is pure and fleet as he swoops and glides over the tunes and exchanges fours with Rosenthal and Jones. His charm, elegance and sound will be missed. Rosenthal and Horner bring new energy to Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” as well as adding a Rosenthal original to the ragtime repertoire — “Schmatta Rag.” Whether he is playing rags, ballads, straight-ahead swingers or calypsos Rosenthal’s dazzling runs and tasty chordal accompaniments put him in a league all his own. To borrow another term from baseball, Rosenthal and associates hit a home run with Good Old Days.

BOTTOM LINE: Musicians often use the words tasty or tasteful to describe performances that are exceptionally well played and show great feel and mature sensitivity. Ted Rosenthal’s Good Old Days is one of those performances. For his final Trios in 4 Acts series, Rosenthal focuses on standards and originals played by two different trios and with special appearances from the late Ken Peplowski.