Childs puts it all together

What’s a jazz artist to do when his most heartfelt music triggers shrugs from record company executives? Especially when the artist -- Billy Childs -- has a solid reputation as a first-rate pianist, has been nominated for four Grammys and is a sought-after arranger (for Dianne Reeves, Claudia Acuna, Gary Lemel and others)?

The answer, for Childs as for many other musicians, is simple: Do it yourself. This week he goes into the studio, sponsoring his own recording of his music by his Jazz Chamber Ensemble.

He prepared for the sessions with performances Tuesday and Wednesday at the Jazz Bakery. Further enhancing the musical possibilities, he brought in a pair of ace New York City players -- bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade. The results, before a full-house crowd on Tuesday, were extraordinary.

He has played most of the material in previous performances. But the renderings by the Colley-Blade lineup were special, a stunning combination of improvisational symbiosis and compositional coherence.

The fulcrum of the action was the interaction between Childs and Blade, who tossed ideas back and forth in bursts of spontaneous invention. Blade’s playing, filled with joyous musicality, brought life and spirit to the often complex compositions.

The Ensemble’s always dependable regular players -- saxophonist Bob Shepard, guitarist Larry Koonse and harpist Carol Robbins -- sounded even better in this inspired combination. At the close of the set, you couldn’t help but wonder how anyone could pass on this music.