New Limited Edition 2023 CD - ‘Live at Pizza Express Jazz Club V.2’
“ … a funky bass and drum groove and a punchy, horn driven theme, with trumpet and tenor later diverging to deliver some scintillating horn interplay that mixed fire with subtlety, qualities that Jones also brought to a sparkling piano solo.” - Ian Mann, JazzMann 26/02/2023
“ … solid and deep-delving swing, especially when the band shifted straight into fifth gear, as on ‘Chief Blackwater’. - Nigel Jarrett, Jazz Journal 28 February 2023.
2021 CD - ‘Unfinished Sentences’
This 6-page CD package includes award-winning saxophonist/author Simon Spillett’s liner notes… “… Jones in bursting, cork-out-of-the-bottle form … vibrant early sessions … timeless, life-filled jazz…
… One of the most pleasant discoveries to be had in hearing these unearthed tapes is that they find room for other musicians who were then mainstays of the British jazz ‘circuit’. Some of them are familiar (the late percussion maestro Robin Jones, the legendary session bassist Herbie Flowers), others are known mainly only to other players, like the lyrical blind trumpeter/flugel-hornist Nick Hill, whose Chet Baker-ish playing here might confuse a Blindfold Test victim (Lone Star), or the late bassist Mike Harris, who, as they say, ‘played with them all’ and, as his showing here proves, did so very deservedly.” (Simon Spillett, July 2021).
“Really fantastic sound, and wonderful playing from everyone” (award-winning bassist/composer Ashley John Long, July 2021)
2020 EP - ‘Is That The Time?’
“This is Jones’s 10th jazz CD release under his own name … lissom solos … a jazz-rock tinge … good taste and musicality.”
— Jazz Journal
“This quartet bring a sense of intimacy, close-knit understanding and communication and the music is engaging and delivered with style.”
— Jazz Views
“The playing is uniformly excellent and where appropriate the blending of acoustic and electric sounds is also both convincing and impressive.”
— The Jazz Mann
N.B. Go to the ‘Videos’ page for a montage of short clips from tracks on this EP
5-Star EP ‘Answers on a Postcard’
“As we know, jazz can mean many things to many people. But if you’re after the marrow of the music, look no further.”
— Jazz Journal (5-Star review)
“…followers of contemporary jazz at its best need look no further.”
— Jazz Views
“The three appetisers here feel like classic standards whilst Waghorn’s fluency and invention is always exciting. Jones’ compositions provide a perfect platform for him.”
— Mike Collins (jazzyblogman)
N.B. Go to the ‘Videos’ page for a montage of short clips from tracks on this EP
‘KeyNotes’ album
“The opener, Sands, entices the listener in … it's quite a scene setter. Jones' writing is one of the stars of the show. He distils ideas down to fragments and lays them out, giving the band space to stretch out and really play.“
(London Jazz News, 2017)
“… just hear how Jones spirals outwards from his spare, melancholy opening theme into a solo that builds a formidable head of steam."
(Simon Spillett, 2017)
“Jones has assembled a formidable quartet … This studio album has the energy and excitement of a live performance.”
(London Jazz News, 2017)
N.B. Go to the ‘Videos’ page for a montage of short clips from tracks on this album
‘Resonance’ album
"There's a lightly stepping, cinematic charm to pianist Jones's outstanding compositions here, especially those featuring the Mavron String Quartet. The catchy opener, 'The Metro', could be the score to a stylish French thriller, while '5 to 3 on Friday' suggests 1960s social realism.”
(Phil Johnson, The Independent on Sunday 29/07/2012)
“Jones is a gifted melodist"
(Trevor Hodgett, 'R2' magazine Sept/Oct 2012)
"… swinging post-Blue Note tunes that are exemplars of musical logic, integrity and effective variation"
(Mark Gilbert, Jazz Journal Nov 2012).
“…the Dave Jones Quartet has been pushing musical boundaries with its amalgamation of various musical styles to create a unique jazz hybrid.”
(R2 Magazine, 2012)
‘Journeys’ album (The London Evening Standard’s Jazz CD of the week)…
“…Port Talbot’s Dave Jones is an extraordinary pianist. He swings with a warmth, grace, and vitality that recalls Horace Silver and McCoy Tyner. He also writes soulful originals and scores them skillfully for horns and occasional strings… Jones the Piano definitely merits wider attention.”
(Jack Massarik - Jazz CD of the week Review, London Evening Standard, 13/08/2010)
"... the whole CD is immensely enjoyable. More please"
(Tony Hall, Jazzwise 22/10/2010)
“Cerebral jazz from a growing master”
(Keith Ames, The Musician: Journal of the Musicians’ Union 11/09/2010)
"His tunes are really good, especially 'Nathan's' and the gorgeous title song”
(Tony Hall, Jazzwise 22/10/2010)
‘Impetus’ album
“The great piano trio resurgence continues in soul-jazz and lyrical soft-bop from South Wales. On the marvelously catchy opener, ‘The Leopard’, Jones’ piano style recalls Ramsey Lewis for easy sparkle and lilt, and Herbie Hancock for chordal invention. But over the length of the album, it’s his skills as a writer rather than generic acuity that impress the most, along with the excellent contributions of [brothers] Chris (double bass) and Mark (drums) O’Connor.”
(Phil Johnson, The Independent on Sunday, 25th January 2009)
“If dynamic variation and subtle felicities of touch and texture are the primary qualities conjured up by 'piano trio', the Dave Jones Trio (leader/composer on piano, bassist Ashley John-Long, drummer Lloyd Haines), launching their CD Impetus, fit that definition. Their material (all by Jones, except the tumultuous closer, Wayne Shorter's 'Black Nile', from 1964's Night Dreamer) ranged easily between the tastefully funky ('The Leopard'), the intensely melodic ('Stimulus') and the immediately memorable ('Welsh Rarebit'), but whatever they played, the trio addressed it in a thoroughly musicianly, considered manner, Jones displaying all the qualities that led to fellow pianist John Pearce commenting, on Jones's debut album, Have You Met Mr. Jones? (Parrot Records,1996), '[He] has a fine technique, rhythmic assurance and a straight-ahead style which makes him a very accomplished pianist indeed.' Amen to that.”
(Chris Parker’s Live Review at The Vortex, London 20/07/2009)
‘Live At AMG 2014’ album
“Make no mistake this is an excellent band and tonight’s performance represented them at the top of their game… All of Jones’ recordings are highly recommended and “Live At AMG 2014” is a worthy addition to a very strong catalogue.”
(Ian Mann, The Jazz Mann December 2014)
‘Postscript’ album
“… a Bill Evans flavour emanates… Long's arco work is quite superb"
(Jazz Journal, 2017)
“… a dazzling version of Bud Powell’s Tempus Fugit”
(The JazzMann, 2016)