Russell Schmidt - Jazz Triptych, Vol. II: The Secular (2019)

Jazz Triptych, Volume II – The Secular is the second recording in a three album series from jazz pianist/composer Russell Schmidt. As with the previous release (Volume I – The Sacred), this album is structured in three parts, with trio, sextet, and vocal tracks grouped together. On the opening piano trio selections, the bandleader is joined by Dwight Kilian (bass) and Rob Moore (drums). The middle portion of the album offers three sextet tracks, featuring Tito Carrillo (trumpet & flugelhorn), Brice Winston (tenor sax), and Paul Ferguson (trombone). The final three tracks are vocal selections., each with a different instrumentation. The recording is full of surprising and imaginative takes on songbook standards and jazz classics, as well as a few original compositions by the bandleader, all brought to life by a world-class group of creative artists.