Micah thomas / thomas morgan / bill stewart at the stone, nyc, apr 13, 2023
photography by ©Clara Pereira; text by Filipe Freitas
The career of American pianist Micah Thomas has been on an upward curve since the release of his powerhouse trio album Tide in 2020. For this concert at The Stone, the second of his four-day residency, he was joined by two enormous pillars of the rhythm - bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Bill Stewart - who assured the stable foundation as well as the sense of freedom his music needed.
The pianist presented new originals, starting off strong with “Lightning”, an uptempo, effusive and dense ride presented with fluid language and modern swinging posture. The piece that followed, “April”, was so harmonious that one could swear it was taken from the Great American Songbook. Propelled by Stewart’s magical brushes and those big round notes effortlessly delivered by Morgan, this number also included great solos from all three artists.
Mostly rubato, “Stars” slowed down the stimulus for a few minutes, but evolved in such a way to include mystery and some stirring avant-garde jazz spectacle. The trio kept their interplay tense and tight, throwing in curveballs and motivic expressions that recalled Chick Corea and Thelonious Monk. The latter’s “Rhythm-a-Ning”, whose melody was delivered hands-together by Thomas, was chosen for the encore demanded by a satisfied audience.