Featured Release

On Triumvirate, Billy Childs returns to the piano trio format alongside bassist Matt Penman and drummer Ari Hoenig, presenting a program that draws from earlier compositions and established repertoire within a focused, small-group setting. The album centers on interaction, piano, bass, and drums sharing responsibility for time, form, and direction, while moving between swing, ballad, and modal frameworks. Across the recording, pacing is shaped through subtle shifts in texture and phrasing, with harmonic detail and ensemble balance guiding the arc. The result is a trio statement grounded in clarity, continuity, and collective listening.

From the album…

Listening through the album, the trio’s approach on “Like Father Like Son” is an excellent example of how the performance unfolds through measured phrasing and interaction. The piano line establishes a thematic center, while bass and drums respond, shaping the form without fixed hierarchy. The music settles into a flexible flow, illustrating the album’s broader emphasis on shared direction and continuity across the ensemble.

Listen to the album

Recommended listening: begin with “Like Father Like Son,”then hear how the trio develops the material across the album.

Album Details

Artist: Billy Childs
Album: Triumvirate
Label: Mack Avenue Records
Release Date: April 24, 2026

Personnel:

• Billy Childs — piano
• Matt Penman — bass
• Ari Hoenig — drums (except track 8)

Track Listing:

1. One Fleeting Instant (Billy Childs)
2. Carefree (Billy Childs)
3. Like Father Like Son (Billy Childs)
4. Heroes (Billy Childs)
5. Whisper Not (Benny Golson)
6. Ask Me Now (Thelonious Monk)
7. Lazy Afternoon (Jerome Moross / John La Touche)
8. Flamenco Sketches (Miles Davis / Bill Evans)

Recording Details:
Recorded May 13–15, 2025
Power Station Berklee NYC
Engineer: Rich Breen
Mixed and Mastered at Dogmatic Sound, Burbank
Produced by Billy Childs