Jazz Reivew : Trotter Exerts His Influences and Gets Special Flavors

Fans at Kikuya had a real treat on Thursday when pianist Terry Trotter left early from a rehearsal prepping for a tour with Natalie Cole so he could perform in the Japanese restaurant’s cozy lounge.

Trotter, truth be told, is one of the major Southern California jazz players, an artist who was a bright star on the Los Angeles scene as far back as the late ‘50s. He’s the man Miles Davis wanted to hire for his quintet in 1961--Trotter turned him down, not wanting to travel at the time, when his career as a studio musician was burgeoning. The pianist subsequently worked with guitarist Larry Carlton, singers Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme and, for the past two years, Cole. He doesn’t often grace local jazz stages.

Trotter, who led a trio Thursday with bassist Luther Hughes and drummer Paul Kreibich that also backed singer Jack Wood, is an extraordinarily talented musician, a man who has deeply studied both the classical and jazz repertoires.

In his versions of “All of You,” “Body and Soul,” “Nobody Else but Me” and “I Surrender Dear,” one heard an amalgam of influences, from hard-bop pianists including Sonny Clark and more ethereal artists such as Bill Evans to such classical composers as Debussy and Webern. Trotter took these seemingly disparate sources and wove them into a style that was far more singular rather it was imitative.

In “All of You,” Trotter allowed the audience to hear him think and revealed his capacity to make music. He started off with an introduction comprising whispered chords that could have been the underscore to a thriller film, then stated the melody of this standard, offering a note or two in a clear touch that recalled Evans, then hiding that melody inside chords that shimmered with dissonant edges. In his solo, he mixed slow and fast statements, swinging hard with two-handed lines that whirled around the keyboard.

“Body and Soul” again found Trotter tucking the melody inside the cracks of profound chords, and when the familiar notes suddenly came out into the open, unadorned, it was like seeing the sun after traveling through dense fog. He also employed a cornucopia of stances when he improvised, swinging with single-note lines, then offering thickly voiced chords that hung in the air. Blues essences were also included.

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Behind Wood, a solid craftsman who gave life to his interpretations of “The More I See You,” “But Not for Me” and “It Had to Be You,” Trotter was warm in his accompaniment, building a splendid platform that made the vocalist seem completely at home.

As always, Hughes and Kreibich were the epitome of rhythm-section partners, providing Trotter with empathetic accompaniment no matter where the mood took him and soloing with elan .