Uri Caine (piano), Ben Perowsky (drums), John Hébert (bass)
Tracklisting:
1. Tarshish (2:20)
2. Interloper (4:19)
3. Siren (4:46)
4. Crossbow (4:16)
5. Smelly (5:16)
6. Succubus (4:23)
7. Green Dolphin Street (5:52)
8. Foolish me (4:33)
9 Calibrated thickness (2:10)
10. Hazy lazy crazy (4:31)
11. Free lunch (4:53)
12. Manual defile (4:16)
Released 2011.

When music fans talk about jazz piano, then they think about the trios of Fats Waller, Wynton Kelly, Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson, Hampton Hawes, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, or Keith Jarrett. The jazz piano trio seems to be the most interesting format for the audience and also for the musicians. This format gives to the pianist best possibilities to interact in an excellent way with the drummer and bassist. The colors of the different instruments can be given complete expression. And this format offers also the best communication to develop sophisticated harmonic, melodic and rhythmic structures. John Hébert on bass and Ben Perowsky at the drums are Uri Caine's trio partners. »Siren« is a very special album because this album is recorded in one recording session live-to-analog-two-track by engineer Ron Saint Germain and producer Stefan Winter. Caine has written for this trio new original compositions and he takes full advantage of swing, interaction, and dynamics.

The album opens with »Tarshish« in a complex rhythm structure with 2/4, 5/8, 2/4, 5/8, 4/4, 5/8, 2/4, 5/8, 2/4, 6/8 and 4/4, and continues in 4/4, 5/4, 4/4, 5/4 and 7/8, and 4/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/4, 3/8. »Tarshish« grooves! Uri Caine is turning the sophisticated rhythm concept into a thrillling dance. »Interloper« continues in 4/4. This jazz piano trio combines composition, rhythm and grooves with improvisation and plays with a beautiful swing in a natural way. The title track »Siren« has a free rhythm feel. Uri Caine opens the piece with a piano solo introduction, after the first chorus bass and drums join him and the bass plays the theme, the song ends in a dialogue with bass, piano and drums. »Crossbow« is a typical example of Uri Caine's fat swing groove. Memories about Uri Caine's first Gustav Mahler album with the title »Primal Light« come back to life. »Smelly« continues with an extraordinary blues and jazz feeling and leads over to »Succubus«. Ben Perowsky on drums opens this number and John Hébert on bass guarantees verve and depth, after his fascinating bass solo Uri Caine ends the song with a superb piano solo. The seventh song of the album starts with a free intro, turns into swing and Uri Caine introduces one of the most famous jazz standards: »Green Dolphin Street«. Caine plays up-tempo, swings, his »Green Dolphin Street« is a firework which leads into a soulful ending. The perfect bridge to »Foolish Me«, a new composition by Uri Caine which could be inspired by Giuseppe Verdi. Caine has an encyclopaedic knowledge, his compositions are often inspired by the great composers of the past. And every new composition is always a new answer. Wolfgang Rihm – one of the great German contemporary composers says: "Art comes from art. (...) Music arises, as an answer to music. Wagner answers to Bach, Beethoven, Weber. Or: Schoenberg answers to Wagner and Brahms, Boulez answers to Schoenberg and Debussy. From there, where the challenge can be heard, own work is growing — which can turn into a challenge on its part." With a playful lightness Caine presents »Calibrated Thickness« and creates with »Hazy Lazy Crazy« a kind of jazz club atmosphere. »Free Lunch« is an open interplay of forces before Caine devotes himself to his big love of latin rhythms and music with his composition »Manual Defile«.

Uri Caine's album »Siren« is an answer to the great jazz piano trios. Caine is continuing a great tradition and Caine is moving forward with respect to his musical roots.