Following a successful run of four sextet recordings, Cork-born, Hertfordshire-based pianist John Donegan changes direction with a return to the jazz piano trio tradition on his latest album, Interfuse.
“I loved working with the sextet – I still do – but I wanted to shake things up a bit and revisit the trio format,” says Donegan whose piano influences include Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Hampton Hawes, Bud Powell, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, and Kenny Barron.
The trio recordings of Bill Evans are particular favourites of Donegan’s and they inspired him to explore the tradition again. He had also been struck by saxophonist Richie Buckley’s lyrical side and improvising strengths while leading the Irish Sextet that has made three enthusiastically received albums. So the trio becomes a quartet on tracks including the energetic opener, Blues Jive, which also pays homage to Thelonious Monk with its edgy attack.
Blues Jive is one of two new compositions – the other being the heartfelt ballad A Resolute Rose dedicated to Donegan’s young grand-daughter – on the album. A prolific composer, Donegan also likes to reinterpret previous work, finding new meaning and new inspiration when taking a different approach.
The album’s title track, Interfuse, which originally appeared on the sextet album A Kite for Kate, returns as a quartet piece here and the idiosyncratic Funny Isn’t It, which Donegan first recorded as a solo piano piece, is updated in the trio format.
Donegan is joined in the trio by two longstanding colleagues. Drummer John Daly has provided the swing, drive and detail on Donegan’s three Irish Sextet albums and bassist Bernard O’Neill, who has acted as producer on eight of Donegan’s nine previous albums, takes up a dual role as producer and Daly’s rhythm section partner.
Alongside the trio and quartet tracks there is a solo piano performance of A Song for Ciara, a tender dedication to Donegan’s eldest daughter which first appeared on the pianist’s 1997 album of the same name.
A musician of huge experience – he has played with jazz luminaries Art Blakey, Art Farmer, Barney Kessel and Greg Abate as well as the world class Irish guitarist Louis Stewart – Donegan is constantly driven by the desire to explore music, both his own and other musicians’.
“I love to listen almost as much as I love to play,” he says. “Above all, though, what I want to do is keep my own music interesting, for me and for the listener. I feel we’ve done that with these nine tracks and I couldn’t have asked for better recording partners than John, Bernard and Richie.”
Interfuse was recorded at Camden Studios, Dublin on 28th and 29th May 2025 and 28th August 2025. It's released on Jayde Records.