| Jazz |
At a moment when the jazz piano trio is often pulled between reverence and reinvention, James Fernando charts a compelling middle course. Were it not for the sheer brilliance of this trio, the album might almost pass for a classical work. That impression is no accident. Fernando openly draws inspiration from one of jazz’s great figures, Erroll Garner, himself a musician whose ambitions were deeply shaped by classical music. This is Fernando’s sixth album, but it is his first truly defining statement with this trio, and it announces a mature artist intent on expanding tradition rather than merely inheriting it.
Across nine original compositions, Fernando positions himself at the crossroads of virtuosity, humor, and a fully realized compositional voice. The result is music that both respects the lineage of the piano trio and nudges it forward, engaging the listener not through abstraction alone but through momentum, clarity, and a rhythmic vitality that all but demands a physical response.
Albums built entirely on original material often reveal an artist’s true measure, and this one stands out for its discreet romanticism and unmistakably personal style. It is, for this listener, one of the most rewarding discoveries of recent years. Fernando never sacrifices melody for rhythm, nor rhythm for melody. Instead, he advances a clear musical concept: the piano, an instrument of struck strings, assumes a percussive role equal to that of the drums, while the double bass provides a lyrical counterweight, restoring poetry after what can feel like a carefully choreographed storm of notes. The writing is precise, the execution assured, and the arrangements bear the mark of genuine collective intelligence, shaped by the contributions of each musician.
Firmly rooted in the present, the album nonetheless allows itself moments of stylistic escape. Certain passages evoke the graceful arabesques of ragtime or early American forms, fleeting reminders of where this music comes from. Track after track, the album unfolds like a series of small surprises, offering genuine pleasure without ever slipping into frivolity. Beneath its lightness lies a clear ambition: to renew the art of the piano trio without erasing, or flattening, its traditions. That balance is what makes the album so engaging.
This is also a work that rewards being heard in its entirety. More than a collection of individual pieces, it feels like a single, cohesive statement. Along the way, echoes of Liszt, Chopin, or Bartók surface briefly, as do Latin rhythms that blur stylistic boundaries while affirming the breadth of Fernando’s musical culture. These references never feel ornamental; they function instead as part of a larger, fluid language.
What becomes increasingly clear over repeated listens is the sheer scope of Fernando’s musical universe—one as expansive as his grand piano. Cataloguing his influences proves futile, because he does not merely cite them; he absorbs, reshapes, and transforms them. This is not an album designed for universal appeal. The density of its writing may leave some listeners, to borrow Otis Redding’s phrase, “sitting on the dock of the bay,” particularly those who prefer a more orthodox approach to jazz.
For others, however, those encountering this trio for the first time, this album may well become a reference point. It belongs on the shelf somewhere between E.S.T. and Nils Landgren: a destination recording for listeners willing to slow down, listen closely, and be fully transported. In an era of rapid consumption, James Fernando asks for patience, and rewards it generously.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 21st 2026
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To buy this album (February 6, 2026)
Musicians :
James Fernando, piano & compositions
Dan McCain, bass
Sam Harris, bass ( tracks 3 & 9)
Kyon Williams, drums
Track Listing :
Persistence
The Parisian
Singularity
Neon Kyon
Beings On Toast
Potions
What’s The Password?
Like It Is