Marc Cary Focus Trio - Four Directions (2013)

The fourth release from the acclaimed Focus Trio, led by Marc Cary on piano and multiple keyboards. The album mines a powerful electro-acoustic sound, creating a sonic environment that reflects Cary's limitless musical interests - from jazz to go-go, hip-hop, electronic music, Indian classical music and more.

In 1994 Marc Cary began a life-changing twelve-year tenure with vocalist, songwriter and jazz icon Abbey Lincoln. ('For the Love of Abbey', Cary's spellbinding solo piano tribute to Lincoln, came out in May 2013 on Motéma.) In addition to Lincoln, Cary has worked with such jazz masters as Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Shirley Horn and Arthur Taylor. His talent has also elevated the music of everyone from Russell Gunn and Marcus Printup to Q-Tip, Meshell Ndegeocello and Ani DiFranco and as a recording artist his ensemble work has helped earn GRAMMY Award-nominations for albums by Abbey Lincoln, Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove and Stefon Harris.

Personnel: Marc Cary (piano, keyboards), Rahsaan Carter (bass), Sameer Gupta (drums)

"Cary, like all great pianists, doesn't simply connect to songs through notes and tones. He has a deep understanding of lyrics as communicative currency and he puts his piano to good use in conveying the mood and shape." - All About Jazz