Tom Pierson has played and recorded elegant piano jazz in Tokyo for the last 10 years. His most recent CD, "Left, Right," is a collection of originals, plus a handful of covers, that occupy a deeply lyrical and highly expressive territory.
Backed by the drumming of Pheeroan akLaff, who is best-known for his recording with artists such as Air and Anthony Braxton, and by the bass playing of Toru Kasse, who plays with many Tokyo combos, Pierson has solid support to take his piano playing in many directions. On the slower tempo pieces, he captures a very reflective mood. But just as often, he shifts to heavy-chorded blues and fast arpeggios to make powerful, rhythmic statements. The intermeshing of the trio's different sensibilities creates a tension that accentuates Pierson's delicate touch.
Pierson has several other CDs out as well, most notably "Tom Pierson III," which is also a piano trio recorded in Tokyo, and "Planet of Tears," which showcases not only Pierson's musical abilities but also his compositional skills for a big band.
Pierson played with the Houston Symphony Orchestra at the age of 13 and went on to Juilliard before switching to film scoring and then jazz performance full time. Having settled in Japan in 1991, he teaches jazz piano and performs regularly in Tokyo's many jazz clubs, both with his own trios and with other larger groups as well. The live show on Nov. 20 will be a CD release party, with akLaff replaced by Baison Katayama, who will take a night off from leading his own group.
