Autumn In New York

In spite of a lengthy discography of recordings as a leader, pianist Donald Brown remains a talent deserving of wider recognition. Whether it is due to his soft-spoken nature or the fact that his series of excellent recordings for the French label Space Time is not yet widely enough distributed in the U.S., Brown's abilities as a player, composer, and arranger are never in question. On this trio date with bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Billy Kilson, the veteran catches listeners off guard with a laid-back opener, a dreamy take of Stevie Wonder's ballad "Make Sure You're Sure." His off-kilter approach to the old warhorse "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" and wailing treatment of "If I Should Lose You" add new life to these time-tested standards. Perhaps his most intriguing arrangement is the bluesy saunter through "Willow Weep for Me." The bright and somewhat funky "Dorothy's Love Letter" is among the three superb originals which Brown contributed to this very enjoyable CD.