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There is no shortage of remarkable trios in the musical landscape, but few, besides the pathbreaking trumpet player, keyboardist and composer Nicholas Payton, could bring together three true visionaries and synergize them into one singular creative voice. “Triune” reconvenes a rhythm section that Payton originally assembled in 2010. Drummer Karriem Riggins could already boast a decade and a half of impressive credits at the time, swinging behind leaders including Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson and Milt Jackson. Bassist esperanza spalding was still a year away from her shocking Grammy Award win for Best New Artist. The soaring trajectory of all three artists’ careers in the intervening years was the only obstacle in bringing them back together once more.
Singer and songwriter Sinne Eeg has accrued fans around the world. From Europe to the U.S. to Asia, her superb technique, flawless sense of time and impressive vocal range have garnered praise from audiences and musicians alike. The title of her new album, “Shikiori,” is also the name of the 150-year-old traditional Japanese home-turned-concert venue where she recorded the disc with her longtime collaborator, pianist Jacob Christoffersen. The repertoire comprises a mix of originals by Eeg and Christoffersen along with deeply personal interpretations of songs by Billy Strayhorn, Leonard Bernstein, and Annie Lennox.
Also this week, New York vibraphonist Ted Piltzecker returns to Denver for “Peace Vibes,” a follow-up to his 2023 release, adding inspired interplay with virtuoso trumpeter Brad Goode; after a series of acclaimed releases showcasing his previously unrevealed virtuosity on the piano, Mark Sherman makes a triumphant return to the vibraphone on his 22nd recording as a leader, “Bop Contest”; and saxophonist Eric Alexander pays tribute to the great Stanley Turrentine on his new album, “Like Sugar.”