1989 · Album
Music
Recorded 1991 · Not specified in source material · Produced by Not specified in source material
Funk Meets Melody in Michel's Playground
Playground strips away the trio intimacy Petrucciani was known for and hands him synthesizers, electric bass, and a funk pulse.
From the first moments, this album feels different — less like a pianist's chamber work and more like someone threw open the studio doors to electric possibility. The synthesizers shimmer and pulse underneath, Anthony Jackson's electric bass guitar locks into grooves that pull hard, and there's funk in the backbone now, real funk, not just swinging jazz phrasing. Michel Petrucciani's piano still leads, but it's swimming in texture: keyboards from Adam Holzman and Robbie Kondor, percussion from Frank Colón, drums from Lenny White driving things forward with real propulsion. Romero Lubambo's acoustic guitar weaves through it all, and Andy McKee on double bass anchors the low end. It's a bold move for Petrucciani, this embrace of synthesizer-heavy production and rhythm-section muscle. Early in his career he'd built a reputation on introspective acoustic trios and solo work — intimate, harmonically sophisticated, very European in sensibility. Playground is him saying that's not enough anymore. The album reached the top 10 on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart, so listeners responded. It proved that Petrucciani could command a larger ensemble, could work in funkier territory, could let go of some control without losing his voice. Whether that's a strength or a compromise depends on what you wanted from him, but there's no denying the album swings in ways his earlier records didn't, and the production choices feel genuine, not cosmetic.
Who's playing
Anthony Jacksonelectric bass guitar
Andy McKeedouble bass
Chris Walkerelectric bass guitar
Eddie Gomezdouble bass
Michel Petruccianipiano, synthesizer
Romero Lubamboacoustic guitar
Adam Holzmansynthesizer
Robbie Kondorsynthesizer
Lenny Whitedrums
Frank Colónpercussion
Gil Goldsteinaccordion
Victor Jonesmembranophone
Where next?
More by Michel Petrucciani
All 21 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
