George Colligan - Past-Present-Future (2005)

With a string of recordings for Fresh Sound and Steeplechase, George Colligan established himself as one of the strongest new pianists in jazz. His first Criss Cross outing, Ultimatum (2002), focused exclusively on original material. On the followup, Past-Present-Future, only the title track is original—and a memorable one at that. The slant toward covers is atypical for Colligan (save for 2000's Stomping Ground), but it confirms his ability to make personal statements via standards and not-so-standards. Bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Bill Stewart are new to the Colligan discography but complement one another and know how to stir up trouble. ~David Adler