On the album Bells on Sand, jazz pianist Gerald Clayton keeps it small and fragile ★★★☆☆

Pianist Gerald Clayton (37) taps on his second album for Blue Note from a completely different keg than on the swinging Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard which he debuted on that label two years ago. The compositions on Bells on Sand are sober and introverted, sometimes to the point of being a bit vague. Accompanied by his father John on double bass, drummer Justin Brown and vocalist Maro in varying line-up, the American Clayton keeps everything very small and fragile. Nice how in the opening piece Water’s Edge Clayton plays the melody with his father on bowed bass, after which Brown creates space with his cymbals. Sometimes everything lingers a little too much in beautifully painted autumn tones, but then Clayton switches to the electric piano and the atmosphere changes, as in the unfortunately somewhat short That Roy†

A little too much watercolor in pastels, Clayton brings the album with Peace Invocation to a climax, in duet with his old mentor, saxophonist Charles Lloyd. These eight minutes could have lasted a little longer, so beautiful when piano and tenor sax go into depth here.