Leslie Pintchik - So Glad to Be Here (2003) [SACD]

Warmth, humor and mystery flavor this mix of original compositions and jazz standards, in a recording that features rich group interplay and lean textures.

Pianist Leslie Pintchik and bassist Scott Hardy have a musical partnership that spans two decades, and together they have built a library of rich original material. The legendary bassist Red Mitchell – with whom they worked at Bradley’s in Manhattan – called their music “miraculous … in tune in all ways.” On So Glad to Be Here, Leslie and Scott are joined by percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, whose highly unusual kit (which includes hand drums, bells, cymbals, etc.) adds a dramatic array of colors to the music. In the liner notes for the CD, James Gavin wrote “Whether composing or playing, she favors delicacy and thoughtfulness over grandstanding, color over volume, spaciousness over clutter…. So Glad to Be Here, her debut CD, offers a wonderfully intimate hour of jazz, created with the help of two musicians – bassist Scott Hardy and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi – whose work is as graceful and lyrical as Leslie’s…. [an] album of jazz that speaks to the mind as well as the heart.”

Tracks:

01. All The Things You Are
02. You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
03. Scamba
04. Hopperesque
05. Let’s Get Lucky
06. Happy Dog
07. Mortal
08. Terse Tune
09. Luscious
10. Something Lost
11. We See

Personnel:

Leslie Pintchik (piano)
Scott Hardy (bass)
Satoshi Takeishi (percussion)