The Natural Order of Things

...Markowitz's effervescent piano rides spryly over Eckhardt's fluid, undulating bass lines...propelled along by Moore's bright, crisp drumwork.
Jazzwest

Covering many years and reflecting a wealth of experiences, drummer Ted Moore's striking array of compositions meld into a singular, dynamic statement on his debut trio recording. With pianist Phil Markowitz - a musical partner since meeting at the Eastman School of Music in the '70s - along with the extraordinary bassist, Kai Eckhardt, the trio expands ever outward from the piano trio tradition, utilizing their shared influences of music from Brazil and Spain as well as classical music and its forms. Moore also acknowledges his musical inspirations through "Waltz for Chick," for Chick Corea, and "Beyond Silence," for Miles & Tony Williams. "Simple Gifts" is Moore's arrangement of the traditional Shaker theme that Aaron Copland utilized in "Appalachian Spring."

"...a collection of thematically beguiling and rhythmically stunning performances that will excite even the most jaded listener." - Mark Holston, Jazziz

Production Info:

Produced by Ted Moore
Recorded & Mixed by Leslie Ann Jones
Assistants: Dann Thompson, Robert Gatley
at Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA
Recorded June 13, 14, 2019
Mastered by Michael Romanowski at
Coast Mastering, Berkeley, CA
Photos by Jim Dennis, Laura Turbow
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of The Natural Order of Things

Midwest Record (Chris Spector)
Long time drummer serves up his debut trio recording rubbing elbows with friends old and new. A tasty, straight up set that takes listening jazz to new places, it's a fun, engaging and energetic set that anyone with a taste for an easy rolling time with some rough edges will enjoy. Expert playing and just the right vibe make it all a great time. ...

JazzHalo (Belgium) (Georges Tonla Briquet)
The jazz trio with piano, bass and drums is the most traditional line-up and also with the greatest number of pitfalls. Veteran Ted Moore knows how to frame it all stylishly and with a sense of finesse. As a drummer, Moore knows the tricks of the trade to insert the appropriate dynamics at the right times. The way he does this, for example in 'T ...

All About Jazz (Jack Bowers)
4-STARS A piano trio led by a drummer? While that may not always be The Natural Order of Things, it is here. The drummer is the veteran Ted Moore, his teammates the talented pianist Phil Markowitz and rock-solid bassist Kai Eckhardt. Moore composed and arranged (almost) all of the music, which enlivens themes from Brazil and Spain, embraces the cl ...

WTJU, Virginia (Dave Rogers)
Recording artist, composer/arranger, drummer, bandleader and educator, Ted Moore is based in Berkeley, CA, and is the leader of The Ted Moore Trio. The trio, which consists of Ted on drums along with Phil Markowitz (The Sax Summit Band) on piano and Kai Eckhardt (John McLaughlin) on bass, has just completed its first recording project at the famed ...

Jazz Weekly (George Harris)
Drummer and percussionist Ted Moore teams up with pianist Phil Markowitz and bassist Kai Eckhardt for a collection of mostly modal, mostly original tunes. The one ringer is Joseph Brakett's "Simple Gifts" which also includes clever dashes of Aaron Copeland in the puree'. Moore lays down nice pulsations to Markowitz's McCoy Tyner-inspired chords on ...