2021 John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, Bill Cunliffe – TRIO

TRIO is a collaborative jazz album released on February 19, 2021, under the Le Coq Records label. It brings together three virtuosos and music legends for their first official studio recording as a group: pianist Bill Cunliffe, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta.  The idea to unite these three giants arose spontaneously during a studio session, sparked by executive producers Piero Pata and Andy James.  While Patitucci and Colaiuta had shared a rhythm section before (notably in Chick Corea’s Akoustic Band), this record marks their first formal trio collaboration with Bill Cunliffe. The album embraces a classic aesthetic, reminiscent of the legendary trios led by Bill Evans or McCoy Tyner. The album consists of reinvented jazz standards, featuring heavy nods to the musicians’ former mentors and heroes, such as Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, and Miles Davis.