Album: Stefano Bollani, Stone in the Water, (ECM)

The Blue Note label used to avoid velvet-touch pianists like the plague; ECM has made them a speciality. Italian star Bollani follows his excellent solo work with this trio featuring Jesper Bodilsen on bass and Morten Lund on drums.

He opens with a Caetano Veloso tune (not that you'd guess) and a touch so light it's almost transparent. As the set progresses bass and drums exert some subtle welly, eventually forcing Bollani to press the keys a little harder. It's lovely, but you're left wanting to hear Ahmad Jamal as an antidote.