CYRUS
CHESTNUT
THE LATEST
Jazz pianist par excellence, Cyrus Chestnut, returns to the HighNote catalog with a superb new piano quartet recording. This highly anticipated album showcases Chestnut's rhythmic precision, emotive touch, and improvisational flair complemented by an ensemble that provides both subtlety and drive. The combination of Chestnut's expressive piano playing with the string bass of Gerald Cannon and the propulsive beats of Chris Beck creates a sound that provides a luxurious background of vibrant color for the saxophone of Stacy Dillard. Chestnut's previous recordings on HighNote Records, including Kaleidoscope, and My Father's Hands, were met with widespread critical acclaim. JazzTimes lauded his "virtuosic piano playing," while Down Beat declared him “one of the finest jazz pianists of his generation.” This new recording is sure to add to that legacy, as Chestnut and his colleagues offer an imaginative set list comprised mostly of the leader's original works, spotlighting his distinctive compositional voice. It is required listening for anyone who appreciates the extraordinarily communicative depth of piano-led jazz ensembles. – Ray Osnato for HighNote Records
WELCOME
A masterful jazz pianist, Cyrus Chestnut balances his lithe technical skill with a robust, soulful style that speaks to his deep gospel roots and love of swinging hard bop. Raised in the church, he learned how to infuse his swinging, classically trained style with a warm gospel sound, a style that first marked his work as a sideman, backing legendary vocalists Jon Hendricks and Betty Carter, as well as with instrumentalists like Donald Harrison and Wynton Marsalis. He further perfected his approach as a leader, recording a bevy of small group albums for Atlantic, like 1998's Cyrus Chestnut, and as a member of the Manhattan Trinity with bassist George Mraz and drummer Lewis Nash. Most often, Chestnut leads the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, as on 2016's Natural Essence with veterans Buster Williams and Lenny White, 2018's Kaleidoscope with Eric Wheeler and Chris Beck, and 2022's My Father's Hands with Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash, the latter of which found him paying tribute to his late father, who first taught him how to play.
