In trio setting, Miller puts his improv to work

There are several reasons why Mulgrew Miller has been one of the most recorded pianists in jazz history. The most obvious is the sheer size of his talent, which blends a probing musical curiosity with a driving rhythmic swing. Add to that his impressive technical virtuosity and, perhaps most important, his eclectic adaptability, a capacity to feel at home in a stunning array of musical personas and disguises.

All those qualities were on full display Wednesday at the Jazz Bakery. And because Miller was working within the pristine clarity of a trio setting (with bassist Derek Hodge and drummer Karriem Riggins), both his talent and his versatility were given ample opportunities to shine.

Miller’s improvisational style employs soaring right-hand melodic inventions suspended over surprisingly rich chordal patterns in the left hand. Nothing new about that, of course, since it’s a staple of the bebop style. But in pieces such as “If I Should Lose You,” as well as a trio of stylish originals, he generated his own galvanizing touches, most notably by adding a convincing, instant compositional quality to his solos via the creation of strings of spontaneously connected, sequential melodic fragments.

A great deal of solo space also was allocated to bassist Hodge, and he used it with convincing effectiveness. Although still a relatively young player occasionally prone to predictable patterns, he stretched the envelope of jazz bass playing in fearless fashion. Fingers flying across rapid patterns, low notes booming, Hodge had the clear look of a new jazz star in the making. Riggins, already a stellar performer, displayed his familiar mastery of the complex textural qualities essential to fine jazz drumming.

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Mulgrew Miller Trio

Where: The Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., L.A.

When: Tonight-Sunday, 8 and 9:30 p.m.

Price: $25

Contact: (310) 271-9039.