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| NEW RELEASE FROM The Billy Lester Trio “High Standards” NEW RELEASE THE BILLY LESTER TRIO "HIGH STANDARDS" Billy Lester - Piano Marcello Testa - Double Bass Nicola Stranieri - Drums Pianist Billy Lester creates his very original versions of eight vintage classics on High Standards. The virtuosic pianist transforms and reinvents the standards with his trio in surprising ways. Artist: THE BILLY LESTER TRIO Title: HIGH STANDARDS Artist Website: www.billylestermusic.com www.ultrasoundrecords.it/product/the-billy-lester-trio-high-standards www.bfan.link/high-standards Release Date: September 12, 2025 Label: Ultra Sound Records Catalog Number: US-CD342/S UPC Code: 1 95269 36805 0 TRACK LISTING 1. There Will Never Be Another You 6:09 Mack Gordon/Harry Warren 2. Somebody Loves Me 4:45 B. G. DeSylva/George Gershwin 3. What Is This Thing Called Love? 6:29 Cole Porter 4. I'll Remember April 8:19 Don Raye/Gene De Paul 5. You Go To My Head 9:37 Haven Gillespie/J. Fred Coots 6. Just Friends 6:06 Sam Lewis/John Klenner 7. Out Of Nowhere 4:21 Edward Heyman/John Green 8. Lover, Come Back To Me 7:46 Oscar Hammerstein II/Sigmund Romberg 9. Free Improvisation 9:29 Billy Lester Billy Lester - Piano Marcello Testa - Double Bass Nicola Stranieri - Drums Billy Lester always improvises, even when playing older standards, coming up with fresh and swinging variations that are full of surprises. On High Standards, Billy Lester is joined by bassist Marcello Testa and drummer Nicola Stranieri for a series of exhilarating rides. Many of the songs are taken uptempo and, while tied loosely to the tune's chords and structures, the melodies are often only hinted at in abstract ways. The trio swings hard on such numbers as "There Will Never Be Another You, " "I'll Remember April, " "Just Friends, " and "Lover, Come Back To Me" but one should not expect the predictable. "What Is This Thing Called Love" is given as mysterious a performance as love itself, "Somebody Loves Me" goes into some unexpected areas while built off its melody, and these versions of "You Go To My Head" and "Out Of Nowhere" are unlike any others. To top it off, High Standards concludes with an intriguing, episodic, and dramatic free improvisation by the pianist. Lester began playing piano when he was four and was performing in public at 15. The following year he began studying with his mentor Sal Mosca who inspired him to take his playing seriously, to constantly improvise, and to always be himself in his playing. He became a teacher himself, at one point about having 40 students, while continuing to develop as a player. The pianist has since recorded ten albums including Captivating Rhythm, At Liberty, Four Into Four, Visceral, Storytime, Unabridged, Italy 2016, From Scratch, and Meeting For Two. On High Standards, Billy Lester's ideas are as spontaneous, virtuosic and inventive as ever. This dazzling outing serves as both a perfect introduction to his often-magical playing for newcomers to his music, and as an exciting new release for his fans. write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |