Agent 99

Pianist George Colligan's trio date is full of surprises. With bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Darren Barrett, he finds new paths through timeless standards and classic jazz compositions. Few will recognize the drastically reharmonized arrangement of Cole Porter's "You Do Something to Me" or the stripped-down but still elegant take of "Poor Butterfly" right away. Gigi Gryce's oft-recorded "Minority" is given a raindrop-like introduction with some unusual rhythmic support while barely skirting around its chord changes. Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" starts out on more familiar turf, though slower than most renditions, but it homes in closer to the basic chord changes. "Agent 99" sounds like an early-'60s groove tune, and it is indeed named for the female lead on the 1960s TV comedy Get Smart. While some listeners may find George Colligan straying a bit too far for their tastes, his adventuresome approach to the piano should be given time to savor. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden|

Pianist George Colligan's trio date is full of surprises. With bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Darren Barrett, he finds new paths through timeless standards and classic jazz compositions. Few will recognize the drastically reharmonized arrangement of Cole Porter's "You Do Something to Me" or the stripped-down but still elegant take of "Poor Butterfly" right away. Gigi Gryce's oft-recorded "Minority" is given a raindrop-like introduction with some unusual rhythmic support while barely skirting around its chord changes. Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" starts out on more familiar turf, though slower than most renditions, but it homes in closer to the basic chord changes. "Agent 99" sounds like an early-'60s groove tune, and it is indeed named for the female lead on the 1960s TV comedy Get Smart. While some listeners may find George Colligan straying a bit too far for their tastes, his adventuresome approach to the piano should be given time to savor. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden