Purists will not like this. Toronto-based pianist and his trio of Randall Hall on bass (stand-up and electric) and Jeff Halischuk on drums weave their way around standards from various musical schools (Astor Piazolla, Paul Simon and Kenny Garrett, to name just three) and create sharp, pithy pieces that rise and fall more often than a thriller.

Thompson Egbo-Egbo Just a Thought (self-released)

Cinematic and accessible, these renditions find new pathways (particularly in the rhythms) in each song. All seven of the classics here are just that, and Egbo-Egbo's two originals fit in snugly. The nine pieces clock in at just under 36 minutes, and not a second is wasted.

Again, the standards here are easily recognizable by most, but Egbo-Egbo and his mates find new paths even as they adhere to a tight schedule.

There's plenty here for the casual (or even smooth) jazz fan, but the lyricism that glides over this trio's exceptional rhythmic exploration is the crowning touch. This is music intended to move in every sense of that word. Lovely stuff that manages to surprise all the way to the end.

Jon Worley