Distant Voices

New release by David Janeway Trio-Distant Voices feat. Billy Hart and Cameron Brown.“Distant Voices” is a tribute to the many jazz pianists that have inspired and influenced me throughout my career.

Reviews

  • "This is an excellent recording, and the more you listen, the more compelling the music becomes. This could easily be one of the Top Ten Jazz CD’s of 2021, and maybe one for the ages.”

    Michael G. Nastos; Hot House Magazine, Paradiso Dei Musicisti, SEMJA Update, WCBN, Ann Arbor, MI.

  • “… Just put this right up there with your favorite jazz piano trio dates and let the good times roll. Dazzling stuff, so subtle and yet so massive.”

    Chris Spector; Midwest Records, 11/21

  • “… And while the trio illuminates the covers, Janeway’s compositions sound like classics… A compelling and polished product.”

    Dan McClenaghan; All About Jazz, 10/21

  • "Janeway is making a name in the jazz capital of the world, this being his third trio album and the first with this, his working trio. The pianists inspiration for Distant Voices is centered around those musicians who have influenced him throughout his career. He does them proud without losing his individuality."

    Lance Liddle/Bebop Spoken Here

  • “This may be Mr. Janeway’s date to lead, but the manner in which Mr. Brown and Mr. Hart intertwine with the pianist’s music , each of the three musicians seem perfectly attuned to the other’s vision and artistry. The word “breathtaking” doesn’t even begin to describe this musical encounter.”

    Raul Da Gama/JazzdaGama, 11/21

  • “The foundation of modern jazz, the piano trio, is well served on this recent release. ..David Janeway shows a wide swath of talent and accessible bop styles as he plays both piano and keyboards in hip trio fashion with the adroit support of bassist Cameron Brown and the legendary drummer Billy Hart.“

    George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

  • “Pianist/composer David Janeway is one fine Jazz pianist! He was trained in classical piano and moved into R&B and jazz with facility, having performed with such greats as The Supremes while also performing solo and with highly regarded ensembles. In this refreshing recording Janeway performs in a trio setting, giving new light and luster to old favorites as well as some of his own compositions. The ensemble - David Janeway - piano, Fender Rhodes, Cameron Brown – bass, and Billy Hart – drums. Sophisticated and inventive, this is a fine, refined jazz album, destined for awards!"

    Grady Harp; Amazon Five Stars, Top 100 Reviewer

  • "David Janeway is one of those jazz pianists who’s been around forever (he started his NYC jazz studies back in the 70’s) and he’s played with everyone. These are fingers that have spent a lifetime on the keys, discovering new ways to say things while echoing the greats. That’s the theme behind this album, of course, and it’s paying homage to the greats in the context of the pandemic. That’s a rather broad idea , but you can almost hear Janeway think about Ellington as he plays Ellington, or Freddie Hubbard, or Wayne Shorter. As for Brown and Hart, it’s clear they know David Janeway and have a symbiotic relationship with him. It’s fascinating to watch these three feed off each other and affect each other’s moods. They move together as the music ebbs and flows, and this is why this type of jazz album is ultimately so special. It’s about time, and learning, and a passion for music that never wanes, no matter what’s happening in the outside world.”

    Marc Phillips/The Vinyl Anachronist

  • "Pianist David Janeway looks back and pays tribute to the main jazz pianists who have inspired and influenced him including Hank Jones, Walter Bishop Jr, Bill Evans and more on his third trio album."

    Jazziz

  • “For jazz fans not residing near New York City, there will always be musicians who have been active locally for decades yet fly under the radar due to limited touring. One such player is pianist David Janeway, a professional for over four decades though, like Denny Zeitlin, also a full-time psychiatrist. In addition to forming the Hastings Jazz Collective with Harvie S, Tim Armacost and others, Janeway has recorded a number of CDs for his own label, so that may explain why this CD is on SteepleChase LookOut, a sub-label normally for up-and-coming artists. He recruited two seasoned veterans for the session, bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Billy Hart, with whom he has performed over the years, and the setlist has a wealth of treasures, including rarely recorded jazz works, jazz standards and the pianist’s strong originals. Hank Jones’ demanding bop theme “Minor Contention” showcases the potent interplay of the trio and the pianist’s formidable chops. Mercer Ellington’s “Blue Serge” dates from the ‘40s and although his famous father performed it, the piece fell into unjust obscurity. Janeway’s bittersweet introduction gives way to an upbeat, lyrical setting that simmers rather than catches fire, with a creative bassline and skilled brushwork adding valuable seasoning to the leader’s eloquent solo. Gary Peacock’s “Gardenia” is a natural fit for Brown’s inventive soloing, as he is also a master worthy of comparison to the late composer. Brown sets the mood for Wayne Shorter’s “Nefertiti” with an exotic solo before Janeway makes a surprising shift to electric piano and the trio offers a delicate, moving setting of Walter Bishop, Jr.’s “Waltz For Zweetie”. Janeway’s compositions include the bouncing “One For Cedar” and constantly shifting “Excursion”, both of which sound like jazz standards in the hands of this trio.”

    Ken Dryden; NYC Jazz Record, 11/21.

  • “Fans of piano trio music will certainly rejoice in the release of pianist David Janeway’s, Distant Voices, an album that unites him with Cameron Brown (bass) and Billy Hart (drums) who lay in concise, expressive solos on tunes like Gary Peacock’s “Gardenia” and Walter Bishop’s “Waltz For Zweetie.” Janeway has released trio projects in the past, and Janeway’s own recognizable style stems from a synthesis of important elements of many great players like Bud Powell, Hank Jones and Bill Evans. Showing great versatility, Janeway plays swinging pop lines on his original “One For Cedar,” before displaying delicate touch and harmonic subtlety with his Fender Rhodes on Freddie Hubbard’s beautiful ballad, “Brigitte.” Fine melodic conversations between the three musicians uplift tunes like Wayne Shorter’s “Nefertiti” and Woody Shaw’s “Moontrane.” For a study in Janeway’s impressive mastery of chording and ability to provide an impressive and influential interpretation of a classic, check out his lively cover of Hank Jones’ “Minor Contention.” Besides complex rhythmic interplay throughout, the trio also demonstrates some playfulness, particularly on Janeway’s other self-penned tracks, “Excursion”, “In Passing” and “Movin On.” Their intuition borders on telepathy on numbers like Mercer Ellington’s “Blue Serge.” Refined over the course of long successful careers, the musicality of Janeway, Brown and Hart gives us a deeply fulfilling experience on Distant Voices."

    Joe Ross, Roots Music Report. Four Stars