Review Text
"Impetus is a rich and varied album with some superb playing from each member of the trio' (Ian Mann, 'The Jazzmann'). 'The great piano resurgence continues in soul-jazz and lyrical soft-bop from South Wales. On the marvelously catchy opener, 'The Leopard', Jones' piano style recalls Ramsey Lewis for easy sparkle and lilt, and Herbie Hancock for chordal invention. But over the length of the album, it's his skills as a writer rather than generic acuity that impress the most, along with the excellent contributions of twins Chris (double bass) and Mark (drums) O'Connor' (Phil Johnson, The Independent on Sunday 25/01/2009). 'Energetically, but tastefully supported by the brothers O'Connor (bassist Chris and drummer Mark), Jones is a vigorous but elegant pianist, never flashy or glib, but none the less fluent and inventive for that; his ballads are suitably lyrical, his tone glowing and burnished, and his more up-tempo material draws suitably powerful solos from him. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable album from a sensitive but vibrant band' (Chris Parker, The Vortex website 12/12/2008). 'Another pianist going the own-composition route is Welshman Dave Jones whose trio album 'Impetus' (DJT) is funky at first, bass and drums going for a dance groove on 'The Leopard', ahead of the more thoughtful 'Stimulus'. 'Welsh Rarebit' is a swinger, underlining the width of Jones's compositional range and the virtues of his incisive keyboard touch' (01/06/2009 Peter Vacher, Jazz UK). Live Review of the Dave Jones Trio at the Vortex, Mon 20 July 2009 (the trio reviewed here is the line-up on the new (2010) Dave Jones Trio 'Journeys' CD, also available from CD baby) : 'If dynamic variation and subtle felicities of touch and texture are the primary qualities conjured up by 'piano trio', however, the Dave Jones Trio (leader/composer on piano, bassist Ashley John-Long, drummer Lloyd Haines), launching their CD Impetus (see CD Reviews), fit that definition.Their material (all by Jones, except the tumultuous closer, Wayne Shorter's 'Black Nile', from 1964's Night Dreamer) ranged easily between the tastefully funky ('The Leopard'), the intensely melodic ('Stimulus') and the immediately memorable ('Welsh Rarebit'), but whatever they played, the trio addressed it in a thoroughly musicianly, considered manner, Jones displaying all the qualities that led to fellow pianist John Pearce commenting, on Jones's debut album, Have You Met Mr. Jones? (Parrot, 1996), '[He] has a fine technique, rhythmic assurance and a straight-ahead style which makes him a very accomplished pianist indeed.' Amen to that' (Chris Parker, The Vortex website 20/07/2009).
