Neil Cowley Trio – ‘The Face Of Mount Molehill’ (Naim Audio)

If the name Neil Cowley doesn’t ring a bell, some of the artists he’s worked with in the last year alone might ring a bell. Like the fact he plays piano on Adele’s 21, and has also worked with Emeli Sande and Michael Kiwanuka (winner of the BRITS Critics Choice and BBC Sound of 2012 respectively). But his own band, the Neil Cowley Trio are, understandably, where his passion lies.

Jazz gets a hard time from rock fans, despite the fact that certain names – Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane, for example, have always been hip names to drop. This album is twelve awesome tracks of Jazz with rock influences performed by the trio (which also includes Rex Horan on bass and Evan Jenkins on drums), which are very easy to love indeed.

Just listen to second track ‘Rooster Was A Witness.’ No atonal skronking brass here, just a hot as you like trio, supported by strings, playing a song that wonderfully evocative and without an inch of fat on it. Like the soundtrack to a cool film yet to be made, once heard, you’ll want to hear this again and again.

Even if you think you hate Jazz.

****

Neil Cowley Trio – Rooster Was A Witness by Cannonball_PR

The Neil Cowley Trio are on tour in England in March and April with the Mount Molehill Strings

15th March, LONDON, Queen Elizabeth Hall
21st March CARDIFF, RWCMD
22nd March LIVERPOOL, Capstone Theatre
23rd March GATESHEAD, The Sage Gateshead
24th March LEEDS, The Venue
13th April BIRMINGHAM, CBSO
14th April SOUTHAMPTON, Turner Sims
26th April BRISTOL, St Georges

Update: you can now stream the album here: