THE DETROIT JAZZ PRESERVATION CONCERT SERIES KICKS OFF ITS THIRD SEASON WITH THE IAN FINKELSTEIN TRIO HONORING GERI ALLEN

 

Pianist Geri Allen

Since its inception in 2023, the Detroit Jazz Preservation Concert Series has become a must-attend event in Detroit’s jazz community. Vincent Chandler, the creator of the series, continually adds nuances to it, refining each season. Before Sunday’s set commenced, he shared with the near-capacity audience that this season will feature more concerts by notable Detroit jazz musicians who are currently active. This was also the first time Chandler neither performed nor arranged any of the music. The season-opening concert featured the music of the late jazz pianist Geri Allen, performed by pianist Ian Finkelstein, a former student of Allen at the University of Michigan. Since graduating from the University of Michigan, he has become a well-rounded jazz pianist adept at accompanying vocalists and leading ensembles and trios. At Wayne State University's Schaver Music Recital Hall, Finklestein’s trio maneuvered seamlessly through some of Allen’s signature compositions—including “Timeless Portraits and Dreams,” “Skin,” “Drummer’s Songs,” “Unconditional Love,” and “Feed the Fire”—with the capable young talent drummer Caleb Robinson and bassist Michael Abbo. Abbo is an emerging star with considerable bandwidth, and Robinson is a drummer with chops akin to Ulysses Owns, Jr, and Rudy Royston. The trio sounded fit and sophisticated, handling Allen’s music as if they had invested most of their careers dissecting her work. Finkelstein deserves credit for choosing not to copy Allen’s phrasing or the way she wolfed down chord changes to the many songs she immortalized. He stretched out on his mentor’s music while maintaining his own identity. The trio’s adherence to details made it impossible to identify a specific highlight. It’s not off base to reason that every part of the concert was a highlight for the appreciative audience. However, If pressed, I must acknowledge Finkelstein’s solo rendering of "Amazing Grace" as a pure crowd-pleaser executed with such gravitas and sensitivity that it could’ve made Allen’s spirit and God cry.