David Janeway Trio/Live At Blue LLama
Check out the latest recording by David Janeway and his trio featuring Robert Hurst on bass and Billy Hart on drums. Recorded live at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, Ann Arbor, MI on 6/15/24 and released on 5/8/26 on all major streaming sites.
From Steeplechase Press Release:
Captured live at Ann Arbor, Michigan’s renowned jazz club Blue Llama in June 2024, David Janeway presents himself at the height of his powers, joined by the world-class rhythm team of Robert Hurst III and Billy Hart. A Detroit-bred musician with a deep lineage in that city’s storied jazz tradition, Janeway channels decades of mentorship, swing, and blues-rooted expression into a set that is both powerfully modern and historically grounded. The trio’s telepathic interplay fuels inventive takes on standards, luminous ballads, and Janeway’s distinctive originals, all delivered with the group’s tightly converging sound and emotional depth that define his artistry. Following acclaimed SteepleChase releases with Hart and Cameron Brown, this live recording stands as Janeway’s most vibrant statement yet—an inspired document of three master musicians creating in the moment.
“It is no small feat to say that not only is Janeway’s playing sparkling but so is his ability to write tuneful compositions.” Michael P. Gladstone, All About Jazz Review
BLUE LLAMA REVIEWS:
“David Janeway possesses a composer’s sense of proportion, rhythmic authority and melodic clarity…an unforced, deeply conversational trio performance grounded in shared musical trust.” -Pierre Giroux, All About Jazz
“David Janeway and his trusty trio reinvent “All the Things You Are” with dancing chords, Latin rhythms and straight ahead fire…he continues the legacy of Detroit’s great jazz pianists.” - Dee Dee McNeil, Making a Scene
“David Janeway shows a rich and classy touch..his tone and style cover many colors…a nice night out on the town.” - George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
“Live at Blue Llama appears to be one of the strongest recorded statements of David Janeway’s recent work.. a pianist still actively extending his work in live settings..consistency and with musical intelligence.” -Gary Cartwright, EU Today
“More inventive than imitative… rhythmic authority and musical clarity.. presenting familiar and original tunes in a way that respects the past.. with a forward motion.” -Abe Goldstein, Papatamus Redus
“Live at the Blue Llama captures spontaneity, elegance, and decades of shared musical experience merging into something deeply human… classical jazz in the noblest sense of the word.. a continuationof the language.” - Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
“David Janeway has spent more than five decades developing a voice shaped by one of jazz’s most influential musical communities… thoughtful compositions, expressive lyricism at the piano, and a deep commitment to interaction within the ensemble setting … a trio language defined by trust, rhythmic sensitivity and collective interaction.” Russell Trunk, Exclusive Magazine
“The Detroit native has long lived in the New York metropolitan area, but he has absorbed the influences of numerous piano masters from around the country. The set heard herein is typical for Janeway: a mixture of time-tested works, interpretations of jazz classics and his own tantalizing originals. It is refreshing to hear his unique approach of All The Things You Are.” -Ken Dryden, NYC Jazz Record
“David Janeway's Live at the Blue Llama showcases the passion and artistic intensity of the moment in a memorable performance. Highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre.”
— James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review
