Geoff Lapp is one of the most reliably soulful and melodic jazz pianists in Montréal,but because he usually pursues he trade in unspectacular supper-club gigs, even his colleagues don t often give him his proper due. So Lapp�s new trio CD,Stained Glass is a revelation: generously proportioned,understated, with moments of surprising audacity. The kind of jazz you didn�t think anyone was playing anymore.

Macleans Paul Wells Dec 18, 2006

Published in allboutjazz.com By Budd Kopman

Pianist Geoff Lapp and his trio are in high demand in their native Montreal, Canada, and if Stained Glass is any indication of how the group plays live, it is easy to see why.

The reasons given for entitling an album are many times not clear. �Stained Glass� evokes an image a church window, or maybe a Tiffany lamp, and the metaphor could be extended to many small pieces of different colors making up the whole, creating a brilliance that is more than the sum of the parts.

Looking at this fine album in this manner makes a lot of sense on two levels: Lapp's playing individually and the trio's playing as a whole.

Lapp�s clarity of touch and exquisite control of dynamics, combined with his innate sense of when to leave space to breathe, makes his playing conversational and personal. He also has what seems to be an endless well of ideas which, however, are not merely strung together. Rather, he changes octaves, changes densities or changes hands in order to maintain interest.

All this is done effortlessly, with no muss or fuss, but there is an intensity present and no single phrase is a throw-away. The energy always moves forward with a clear dramatic arc. In this regard, the efforts of his band mates�bassist Paul Johnston and drummer Dave Laing�are invaluable.

That any musical group should listen to each other and play as a group, rather than individuals, is a given; but for a piano trio it is imperative. Since the piano is a percussive instrument, care must be taken to keep the bass and drum voices separate but equal.

Laing is a delicate drummer who uses little bass drum, making himself felt with cymbals and snare. Both are played lightly with infinite variation, the cymbals creating a sheen that surrounds the music, while the emphatic tap of the snare provides the pulse. His swing is light, tight and propulsive, energizing the music without being overbearing.

Johnston's melodic bass playing creates synergy as his solid tone pushes the music forward with a forceful grace. The times he follows Lapp's left hand are startling because they are perfectly in time and pitch, serving to highlight the importance of the rest of his work.

Put this all together, and you have a winning combination, epitomized by the beautiful �Sweet Lorraine.� Played with a light and elegant but deep swing, the variations flow for seven minutes, and could easily have gone to fifteen.

These guys are that good.

Geoff Lapp is hardly a newcomer to the jazz scene, but like many Canadian musicians, it adds to the challenge for him to get exposure outside of his homeland. This trio session with bassist Paul Johnston and drummer Dave Laing doesn't fit neatly into any one category. Lapp's arrangement of Earl Zindars' lively "Elsa" builds upon Bill Evans' well-known recordings, recalling the interplay of Evans' trio while adding new facets of his own. "Sweet Lorraine" has been recorded so many times that it is in danger of overexposure, but Lapp's interpretation is playful enough to keep it fresh. The trio is just as skilled with ballads, delivering a touching rendition of Billy Strayhorn's lament "Day Dream" and a surprisingly upbeat take of "The Party's Over." Lapp's originals are just as effective. The funky, hard bop "Zack in the Box" seems like a perfect vehicle for a late night driving scene in a film, while "Yo Bro" utilizes a simple riff as a starting point for a delightful jazz excursion, powered by Laing's on-the-money percussion.
Review by Ken Dryden **** Stars Published in allmusic.com