In the liner notes that he wrote for his 2006 session , discusses the style of playing known as rubato and explains why it interests him so much. The veteran acoustic pianist has a lot to say on the subject of rubato; one point being that it has been used by everyone from to ), but (who turned 68 in 2006) really gets to the essence of this album when he speaks of musicianship that "moves the body in a swirling, circular kind of motion" instead of having a "toe-tapping" effect. , to be sure, is not toe-tapping ; the performances of 's cohesive trio (which employs on upright bass and on drums) are quite impressionistic. does not contain free-form or radically pianism of the / variety, but it does favor an approach that correctly describes as "freedom with form" -- and this album's use of keeps the intrigue factor high on material by and as well as interpretations of 's and two standards: (the song played with in 1947, not the gem he unveiled in 1958). never goes out of its way to be accessible; this is challenging music, without a doubt. But the rewards are high if one is not intimidated by the complex and the cerebral. ~ Alex Henderson