Personnel: Terry Lower, piano – Ray Tini: bass Jim Ryan, drums (all tracks except 5,7,10) Rob Smith, trumpet – Doug Horn, saxophones – Earlie Braggs, trombone - Rob Mulligan, percussion – Larry Ochiltree, drums (on 5,7,10)

TERRY LOWER: STEP BY STEP

If for no other reason, than just knowing that this CD was recorded at Arcadia Recording studio in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by John Stites, should immediately give assurance to the reader that this is a top of the line recorded CD.

Terry Lower, a product of the Berkley School of Music in Boston, and one of the top jazz pianists in Michigan on call whenever people of high caliber need other people of high caliber, focused my attention immediately with his accurate technical dexterity on the keyboard. Considering Lower’s competence as an improviser, it’s not asking too much to have the technical ability to accurately reproduce what you are spontaneously thinking, and Terry gives every note a fair hearing. Of course, the musicians on this band are also the best you will find anywhere, which makes this CD (I keep wanting to say album, so I guess I’m giving away my age of 38.5) a very good choice to have on your shelf.

As usual, in a good CD, it is smart to start out with an attention grabber. Terry’s title tune, an original called “Step By Step,” does just that.

“I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” is a good example of three people in perfect synch with each other, effecting a totally solid, straight ahead swing, just the way we all love to hear it. This is a great trio arrangement.

“Seabiscuit,” is an original Lower tune in the style of the best of the bebop tunes, like the Parker-Gillespie paraphrase tunes or Clifford Brown’s “Joy Spring.” This performance demonstrates how well rehearsed and relaxed this group is in the execution of this very hard melody line.

Terry uses a kind of rock-funk beat in “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” a tune not normally using this rhythmic style. But it adds an interesting flavor and interpretation to an old standard.

Terry’s influence by Ahmad Jamal’s earlier recordings like “But Not For Me,” seems obvious to me, and also some chordal voicing influences from Red Garland that are enthusiastically applied to the tune “Teach Me Tonight,” show how sophisticated Terry can be when spontaneously creating “big band” orchestrations on piano.

Terry took the tune “Cry Me A River,” made famous by Julie London in 1955, and updated the changes to make it much more refreshing. He adds uncomplicated brass backgrounds behind his solo which makes this arrangement most satisfying to listen to. If applying the Bill Evans’ philosophy, one can be sure that any tune, no matter how corny, can be turned into a gem with a new viewpoint.

What I especially enjoyed about tune number 11, “Caravan,” was the middle section of the piece. Terry revealed an outstanding ability for stride and boogie-woogie that had me laughing out loud with enjoyment. As I listened to this ferociously fast paced and most excellently played arrangement, it came across as a tour de force for the rhythm section and especially for Terry.

Of particular note to me is that the trio: Terry Lower on piano, Ray Tini on bass, and either Jim Ryan or Larry Ochiltree on drums--is so tasty in and of itself, that, other than the fact that Doug Horn on Saxes and Rob Smith on trumpet are wonderful additions and top of the line players, I would have been completely satisfied with a trio CD. So the addition of a front line just moves this CD up one more notch. OK, do I need to go on? I don’t think so. It’s a fine CD from top to bottom.

Web site: www.terrylowermusic.com