Joy in Spite of Everything, Stefano Bollani

Those who love Bill Evans or Art Blakey will relish this disc, though Stefano Bollani has his own freewheeling improv stamp. Recorded in one day, and featuring guitarist Bill Frisell, Joy pulses with live energy. Bollani pilots his piano with sophisticated trills, rolls, and riffs. Colors run the gamut from the whimsical theme and bouncy beat of “No Pope No Party” to “Las Hor­tensias,” where Bollani hits the high keys to create the effect of a broken clock. Highly recommended.