3d Jazz Trio - I Love to See You Smile (2020)

Pianist Jackie Warren, bassist Amy Shook and drummer Sherrie Maricle are best known as the rhythm section of the swinging DIVA Jazz Orchestra, but the three ladies show that there is power in a trio format as well. They take a mix of standards and clever covers on this recent outing, combining straight-ahead swing and thoughtful re-arranging.

For instance, Randy Newman’s title track is a shuffling bundle of joy, with Warren’s fingers dancing with elan, while she goes a bit on the dark side as bass and drums trickle on “Besame Mucho”. Shook gets some space for stretching out around Warren’s wide stride on “Moonglow” and the two lurk around the corner on a shadowed “Angel Eyes”. Maricle shows her strong wrists as she supplies a crisp backbeat as the team boogies on “Back and The Chicken Shack” and the team shifts gears and does a double time on a roller coaster ride of Nat Coles’ “L.O.V.E” that is a white knuckler. Three is not a crowd here!