We walked in to the studio on a Saturday in September 2006, no rehearsals, no charts, no playlist. It was pure good fortune to get these 3 gifted musicians to join me: Rich Zurkowski (bass), Johnny Fowler (drums), and Brian Forbes (guitar). We'd gotten friendly playing the memorable Tues nite jazz sessions at the erstwhile "Green's Saloon" in Stamford, CT. I'm proud of what we deliver on this CD, and for me it serves as reminder one of life's more precious moments... sitting at a Steinway Grand in the luxury of the Carriage House Studios, playing w friends and musicians I admire, and finding ways to lend our own voice to melodies and arrangements of tunes buried deep in our psyche. I won't pretend to bring anything new or profound to these beautiful songs, but like other recordings, the CD memorializes a wonderful moment in time. I hope that spirit translates to new listeners. -- Note: with a huge sense of loss, I dedicate this CD to my friend John Fowler (drums) who left us all too soon and too young in his life. I'm honored to have had John contribute to this CD, and am forever grateful to have called him friend. RIP Johnny - Brad Ellis, November, 2011 --------------------------------------------------- (SL Widmer, Atlanta, GA -- Nov, 27, 07) You’ll love this one. Brad Ellis brings his unique voice to this first CD from his New York-based straight-ahead trio. The arrangements are smart and fun and show his breadth of influences as a jazz pianist, with enough space on each track for him to open up on solos and tell his story. Ellis mixes style while maintaining substance, staying true each song’s original warmth and celebration. Rich Zurkowski on upright bass and John Fowler on drums play nicely behind Ellis’ piano lead, adding spark and swing each track. The music hums, ranging from compact bebop arrangements of “Oh Christmas Tree…”, “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”, and “White Christmas”, to a gospel-influenced Silent Night featuring a funky Hammond B-3 signature in the background. An excellent choice for your next Holiday Cocktail party mix!