Light but not lightweight,
Morning in the Garden finds New Englander
Joe Parillo approaching acoustic post-bop piano in a manner that is relaxed and mellow, yet substantial and not without intellect or complexity. Think of
Keith Jarrett and
Bill Evans at their most laidback, then add a bit of
Joe Sample or
Lonnie Liston Smith, and you can picture what this intimate trio date (which employs Nick Cudahy on bass and Mike Connors on drums) sounds like. Gently introspective originals like "My Lullaby," "Serenity" and "Summer Gone" can function as mood music if that's what you're looking for, but listeners would be cheating themselves by relegating
Parillo's piano to the background. It's best to turn up the volume and absorb this decent CD without any distractions.