By Joshua Myers | Published October 2022
Corey Christiansen’s Standards is a brilliant example of the art of a trio. The guitarist is accompanied by an outstanding duo of Carl Allen on drums and Ben Williams on bass.
The resulting collaboration is a deeply evocative and contemporary exploration of some of jazz’s most cherished tunes. Each tune features a unique harmonic arrangement, with Williams adding a platform for Christiansen, whose interpretations shine. Williams, who offers plenty of soloing here, gives us a welcome reminder of his own prowess in the straightahead world. On both “Love for Sale” and “Summertime,” this unique approach is elevated to near perfection, a kind of snapshot of how one would experience this kind of playing in a live context. This is Christiansen’s first project featuring standards in some time. His most recent work has consisted of original tunes.
This effort marks a shift in his artistic direction. Commenting on his choice of bandmates, Christiansen described Williams and Allen as two of his favorite musicians in the world, and said that he felt that they had created something special. Yes, there is something special here, indeed.
Standards: Poinciana; I Love You; What’s New; Love For Sale; Summertime; How Insensitive; What Is This Thing Called Love. (48:37)
Personnel: Corey Christiansen, guitar; Carl Allen, drums; Ben Williams, bass.
Ordering Info: coreychristiansen.bandcamp.com
