Bill Charlap Trio last night

[MartyJazz]

I got a last second invitation from a friend to see this trio last night at the Harriet Himmel Theater at City Place in West Palm Beach. Charlap was accompanied by the "brothers" Washington, i.e., Peter & Kenny. Group swung throughout two sets. My only complaint, which was certainly not shared by the overwhelming majority of the audience who lapped it all up, is that apart from the opening George Wallinton original, "Godchild", every piece thereafter was a pop standard. I mean EVERY piece, loads of Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, Porter, Gershwin, and topped off by a Bernstein West Side Story medley. Look, I love the American popular songbook, but is there any harm in throwing in a couple of jazz standards here and there? (BTW, has Charlap penned any originals?) In any event, it was an expertly done performance that was well appreciated by the audience, many of whom attended free as a result of membership in the Jazz & Arts Music Society (JAMS) of Palm Beach county. Bottom line, I'm glad I went.