There is something about the language spoken by the trio of Renzi, Weinstein, and Kamaguchi. It is jazz, yes. But the band speaks seemingly from both inside the tradition and also from an outsider’s perspective. And the trio hand-picks its subject matter with just such purpose in mind. On their first recording, the 1999 Lines And Ballads, they drew from Monk, Parker, Roach and Evans. They don’t so much de-construct as they re-construct these tunes. And there is no sentimentality here. Why should there be? These are young musicians and they take a seriously optimistic approach. This disc, (Dream Life) like their first outing, makes a strong statement for many a top ten recordings of the year. It is a must hear.
-Mark Corroto from AllAboutJazz.com
