Out Of This World: Ted Rosenthal Trio
[PSR#031010]
PERSONNEL
Ted Rosenthal – piano
Noriko Ueda – bass
Quincy Davis – drums
TRACKS
1. Out Of This World
2. So In Love
3. Have You Met Miss Jones
4. Prelude #2
5. Embraceable You
6. People Will Say We're In Love
7. Lotus Blossom
8. How Long Has This Been Going On
9. Cry Me A River
10. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
about
On Out Of This World, his fourth release on Playscape Recordings, veteran pianist Ted Rosenthal and his working trio show off their distinctive versions of ten popular selections from the Great American Songbook. The group previously demonstrated its finely honed interpretive abilities on last year's Impromptu, their label debut, which featured Rosenthal's creative jazz reinventions of themes from a broad sampling of classical masterpieces.

Critics called that record "consistently intriguing" (George Kanzler, Hot House), "technically erudite and impeccably tasteful" (Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes) and "one of the most ridiculously entertaining CDs of the year" (Jon Garelick, Boston Phoenix). AllAboutJazz.com's Dr. Judith Schlesinger added, "Bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Quincy Davis are the perfect compadres for Rosenthal's fluid elegance, subtle humor and flat-out swing."
 
 
Reviews
Joined by bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Quincy Davis, Rosenthal keeps the music polished and impeccable...his renditions are impressively logical and appealing, flowing naturally from the possibilities of the songs.
— Peter Hum, Jazzblog.ca
This is a wonderful, enjoyable album: the kind of stuff you can play for hours.
— Ric Bang, Jazz Scan
...a fine, well rounded album that achieved its goal of making well known music sound fresh while not sacrificing the melodic content that made it memorable in the first place.
— Tim Niland, Music and More
Pianist Ted Rosenthal devotes his 13th recording exclusively to staples of the Great American Songbook, with the expressed intention of "presenting (or deranging)" them in a way that will engage listeners. Mission accomplished: Rosenthal's harmonic and rhythmic re-imaginings demonstrate how familiar standards can (still) be treated with verve and vibrancy. The 10 canonical pieces Rosenthal has selected, such as "Embraceable You" (performed in 5/4 time) and "Have You Met Miss Jones?" (played uptempo in three different keys), are infused with a strong sense of tradition but also exploration.
— Sharonne Cohen, JazzTimes
Rosenthal and company bring intelligence and true blue feeling to the project...
— Josef Woodard, DownBeat
On Out Of This World, pianist Ted Rosenthal addresses ten standards by shaping, sizing and styling them to his liking, with some help from bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Quincy Davis. This threesome showed a strong rapport on Rosenthal's previous outing, Impromptu, and their interconnectedness has developed even further since that recording hit the shelves. Whether they're diving into an odd time signature, moving between Latin and swing feels, or peeling back the layers of complexity to reveal something of profound beauty, it is almost a guarantee that they're doing it as one unified musical unit.
— Dan Bilawsky, AllAboutJazz.com
Pianist Ted Rosenthal has great skills, a super imagination and keen sense of humor. He is a master of digging deep into standard fare to reimagine and rearrange tunes with fresh harmonies and/or rhythms. This is a joy to hear...
— Ken Franckling, Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes
Presenting ten time-honored and oft-recorded songs in a refreshing new manner is a challenge Rosenthal's trio meets rather convincingly. Whether re-harmonizing a tune or inserting an odd-meter arrangement, the pianist explores and stretches the limits in providing new interpretations of ageless contributions from Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin and Harold Arlen, among others...inventive new reads to beautiful old tunes that are truly Out of This World.
— Edward Blanco, AllAboutJazz.com
...innovative arrangements of familiar pieces...
— Ken Dryden, The New York City Jazz Record
Ted Rosenthal has done a wonderful job re-imagining ten standards in his own vision. Out Of This World has all the designs of a beautiful club date – vibrant, exciting and bouncing with energy that really gets a crowd hoppin'. But what makes this studio session so remarkable is the creative manner in which Rosenthal, Davis and Ueda work with such sweet unison that the tunes have urgency and new life. This is a real sleeper of a record that would really benefit anyone's record collection.
— Stephan Moore, JazzWrap
...exquisite interpretations of some of The Great American Songbook's most beloved compositions.
— Dan McClenghan, AllAboutJazz.com
Rosenthal is always finding original ways to approach songs that have been played many times by a variety of musicians. He plays with tempi, harmonies and styles in a way that makes these melodies seem fresh, even new. He has perfect partners in Ueda and Davis...
— Joseph Lang, Jersey Jazz Journal
Ably supported by Noriko Ueda on bass and Quincy Davis on drums, Rosenthal's deft touch and single–note lines seem particularly suited for the ten compositions that have been chosen for this set. There is much to admire in Rosenthal's playing with his warm feel and incisive timing, and he thereby lifts the album into a headier category.
— Pierre Giroux, Audiophile Audition
...Ted Rosenthal Trio offers a fresh new sound to the American songbook...Out Of This World embraces superb variations and improvisations.
— Esther Callens, The Birmingham Times