Heart of the Geyser

...an urgent, in-the-moment example of what a first-rate piano trio can do when it taps into the flow of spontaneous three-way creativity...
Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz

Noted internationally for his big band and arranging skills, pianist Dan Cavanagh here teams up with Grammy-winning drummer Joe McCarthy and bassist Linda Oh for an intimate piano trio set. Heart of the Geyser gives a closer musical insight into the mind of Cavanagh, while teaming him with two of the most empathetic and highly skilled musicians working today. They perform mostly originals along with a highlight cover of Chick Corea's "Matrix."

Production Info:

Produced by Dan Cavanagh
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Bob Dawson
At Bias Studios, Springfield, Va
Recorded 2/5/2011
Cover Photograph by Stephan Frank
Band Photograph by Bob Dawson
Cover Design & Layout by John Bishop

Reviews of Heart of the Geyser

emusic Review (Dave Sumner)
Nice piano trio date. Cavanagh normally does the big band thing, so it’s nice to hear him express his sound in a smaller unit. Joe McCarthy on drums and Linda Oh on bass. All three make some powerful statements on their respective instruments without sacrificing anything in the teamwork department. Very pretty music with some dynamic rhythm action ...

All About Jazz (Dan McClenaghan)
There's no arguing that the best of the best in the piano trio field comes from the longterm units: on the younger end of the spectrum there's Brad Mehldau's group with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard, who replaced his long term predecessor in that chair, Jorge Rossy; and, of course, on the legendary end, there's Keith Jarrett ...

Audiophile Audition (Pierre Giroux)
Dan Cavanagh is an educator (University of Texas/Arlington), composer, arranger, pianist, and leader of the Jazz Emporium Big Band. In his second release for OA2 Records entitled The Heart of the Geyser he heads an impressive trio composed of Latin- Grammy Award winner Joe McCarthy on drums and the "bassist de jour" Linda Oh. While no fault is to ...

Jazz Police (Andrea Carter)
The only reason I did not review this recording weeks ago is that I kept listening to it. I left it in the CD changer and let it sing to me at least once each day for the two months. Needless to say, this unpretentious trio release will surely be among my top picks of 2012. But who is Dan Cavanagh? An honors graduate of the music program at St. Ola ...

Jazz Society of Oregon (Tim Willcox)
Fans of Brad Mehldau might enjoy this album, which starts off with the groovy 7/4 "Josephine," which Cavanagh admits is sort of a "Tom Petty meets Brad Mehldau" tune. While Cavanagh doesn't have the technical proficiency of Mehldau (who does?), he makes up for it with beautiful writing and spacious comping and blowing. The only negative aspect of t ...