Serenity Song in Bloomington, MN

Some folks in the straight-ahead
jazz
world are of the opinion that a
album isn't legitimate unless it contains an abundance of well-known
standards
. But such thinking is silly, especially in light of the fact that many talented improvisers are also talented composers;
D.D. Jackson
is a prime example. There isn't a warhorse to be found on
Serenity Song
. The acoustic pianist wrote all of the material himself, which is not to say that he isn't capable of playing
;
Jackson
has done it in the past and done it pleasingly well. But if one is as gifted and prolific a composer as
, there is no reason not to provide as much original material as possible -- and his compositional talents are very much in evidence on memorable items that include the optimistic
"Chi-Pin's Song,"
the pensive
"Nocturne,"
the good-natured title track, and
"Taiwan Moments"
(a delicate
waltz
with a
Bill Evans
-minded appeal).
has it share of quiet, reflective moments, but the generally lyrical
's passionate side asserts itself in a big way on the exuberant
"Etude,"
which hints at fellow pianist
Michel Camilo
. At times,
is a trio album, uniting
's piano with
Ugonna Okegwo
's upright bass and
Dafnis Prieto
's drums. Other times,
's trio becomes a quartet, quintet, or sextet thanks to the addition of players who include
Sam Newsome
on soprano sax,
Christian Howes
on violin, and
Dana Leong
on trombone and cello. Except for the core
/
Okegwo
Prieto
trio, the personnel can vary from one track to the next. But regardless of who's joining him on a particular song,
is an excellent demonstration of
's talents as both a soloist and a composer. ~ Alex Henderson