Heartbeat

The New York City pianist Ben Winkelman was awaiting the birth of his first child during the onset of the pandemic, and this 6th album draws from the ups and down of that time, where Gilad Hekselman, Matt Penman and Obed Calvaire are along for the 9 originals.

"Praise" leads the listen with gospel nods, as Winkelman's colorful keys and Hekselman's spirited guitar interact with much warmth, and "Fort Tilden" follows with a distinct dreaminess that uses Calvaire's soft drums with much eloquence.

In the middle, "Wandering" is quite intimate, and displays the gentle keys that pay close attention to mood, while "The Wonky Waltz" is an upbeat, animated track that benefits much from the swift keys and Penman's playful bass playing.

"Heartbeat" and "Machine" exit the listen, where the former is full of flowing melody thanks to agile guitar playing, and the latter uses the skilled rhythm section in exciting and shimmering ways that are both cautious and unpredictable.

A musically diverse and lyrically rich effort, Winkelman's piano and Rhodes playing is highly impressive, as are the textures from Hekselman, Penman and Calvaire.