Description

The jazz piano trio, Tri-Fi (Matthew Fries, piano; Keith Hall, drums; and Phil Palombi, bass), have released an exciting self-titled album of original music on the CAP Records label. It is a swinging set of modern music rooted in the tradition of the classic jazz piano trios – with a level of musical communication and trust that only comes from a working band.

“The trio are as smooth and sleek as you could ask, but when grit and grease and a little R&B are required, the musicians are never at a loss.” – The London Times

Fries, Hall and Palombi have been touring together as sidemen with Curtis Stigers for over three years (totaling more than three hundred concerts), and formed Tri-Fi as a way to step forward into the spotlight and create some original music in the classic jazz piano trio format. Their friendship and level of musical communication gained in their roles as sidemen are obvious in this exciting set of new music. “There is a big difference between a ‘band’ and musicians who just work together occasionally,” explains Hall. “Because we spend so much time together, there is a freedom that is expressed in our music. We always have lots of fun and I’m extremely proud of our CD.”

The album opens with “Cross Country,” a track by Matthew Fries; a muscular, driving, straight- eighth tune with intricate piano and bass unisons that culminates in a drum solo from Keith Hall. The mood on the album quickly changes for “My Family,” by Phil Palombi; a delicate waltz reminiscent of the Bill Evans Trio. But it is Keith Hall who pens the party tune, “Gotta Give It Up” that really gets the listener’s toes tapping. Concord Recording artist, Curtis Stigers makes a special guest appearance to sing the one standard on the album; a haunting version of the Coots/Gillespie composition, “You Go To My Head.”

The album contains eleven tracks and is available online at www.tri-fi.com – plus listeners can download a bonus track from the website. “The music on this album feels like a real journey to me when I listen back,” says Fries. “You can hear so many influences in the playing and the compositions that it’s hard to compare it. Keith and Phil are so solid that it’s easy to be yourself and explore musically.” Understandably, Tri-Fi’s style has been compared to the music of the Bill Evans Trio, the Oscar Peterson Trio, and modern piano trios of Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea – these are all major influences to the band. Palombi sums up his own influences: “Everyone has influenced me in one way or another, but right now I’ve been spinning a lot of John Patitucci and Scott LaFaro. Ray Brown is never too far away.” Jazz is music of the moment and the album captures a moment full of personality and emotion for these three friends.

This album is dedicated to the memory of the great pianist, James Williams.