By Ed Enright | Published July 2026
Why is it so relaxing to hear Kenny Barron double-time it through “Oh, Look At Me Now,” the opening track on this new archival concert release featuring the celebrated pianist with his onetime trio mates Ray Drummond and Ben Riley? Because he swings so hard and projects so much confidence, you can just feel the torrents of loveliness about to unfold — that’s why. Indeed, to immerse oneself in the group’s 105-minute performance, recorded live at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales, U.K., in August 1995, is to experience the epitome of straightahead jazz authenticity. Produced by Zev Feldman and Jordi Suñol, So Many Lovely Things is the fourth Barron-approved live album in the NEA Jazz Master’s discography of more than 50 recordings, and it serves as a rock-solid document of one of jazz’s most esteemed piano trios going for it and ultimately achieving true cohesion. As Barron once told DownBeat, “You’ve got to reach, whether you make it or not.” That’s exactly what’s going on here, and the group’s collective success in developing one speculative idea after another, while not surprising, is simply astounding to behold. Among a glorious litany of breathtaking moments, highlights from the 10 tracks on this two-LP/two-CD set include a spirited rendition of Freddie Hubbard’s “Up Jumped Spring” (Barron was a member of the late trumpeter’s band from 1967–’70), a touching performance of “Nikara’s Song” (written for Barron’s granddaughter) featuring a melodic Drummond bass solo, introspective musings on Barron’s ballad “Silent Rain” and a stride-meets-modern-jazz romp through Thelonious Monk’s “Shuffle Boil” (a showpiece of Barron’s live repertoire that he recorded on the 2016 studio album Book Of Intuition). Together, these three giants make a virtual trading floor of the festival stage, exchanging mature ideas and exploring ever-changing moods with finesse and ease, and occasionally attaining astounding heights of interactive excitement.
