Well I wouldn’t want to show this as a solo album, but the names of these guys added up would take up half the screen together, so I shortened the title a little bit. The correct title should have read Fahir Atakoglu / Horacio El Negro Hernandez / Anthony Jackson - If (what an ironically short album name :) )

This is a true clash of the titans album. One of the foremost Turkish composers Fahir Atakoglu who used to compose for huge orchestras, composes and plays the piano for an instant classic Jazz album. (well for me at least, I’ve memorized the whole album in a few takes, yet still find myself drawn back to it.) Horacio El Negro Hernandez one of the most versatile drummers, whose past partners includes people like Santana, Mc Coy Tyner, Tito Puente (and a Grammy award) and Anthony Jackson who has worked with Chick Corea, Paul Simon, Buddy Rich and Chaka Khan take the drums and bass. The liner notes have been written by Arif Mardin, the ex-Atlantic Records (and now for Blue Note) boss and the mastering has been done by Dae Bennett, son of legendary Tony Bennett.

Fahir’s composing ability shines here and seperates the album from similar trio albums, there’s no filler on this album and no cliche jazz tracks. I always hesitate to listen to virtuoso players and prefer the raw, soulful or underground side of things, but this album has put a dent in this prejudice.. This is a masterpiece piano jazz trio album with hints of pop-jazz on some tracks, and many Anatolian / Classical motifs to check out, strange time signatures like 14/8 made accessible by virtue of natural talent. A very rewarding album not only for jazz lovers but for all kinds of listeners.

It sure has to be a challenge to compose for a trio, for an orchestral composer, simplifying your music to 3 instruments (and additional brass on some tracks) but I think Fahir has mastered it here. `If` is an album that should definitely be in your collection (an on my top 10 list at the end of 2006) immediately..

Atakoglu / Hernandez / Jackson - Yana Yana
Atakoglu / Hernandez / Jackson - If