A first chapter in the studio
Caelan Cardello had already made a live duo album with Rufus Reid when “Chapter One” appeared in 2025 as his studio debut as a bandleader. This time a different ensemble surrounds the pianist. Bassist Jonathon Muir-Cotton and drummer Domo Branch form the trio with him, while tenor saxophonist Chris Lewis expands the group on “Don’t Look Back”.
Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, in 2000, Cardello began playing piano as a child. His path includes Jazz House Kids, studies at William Paterson University and later at the Juilliard School. Teachers including Bill Charlap and Harold Mabern form part of that background. The album offers a chance to meet the pianist through his own compositions as well as material selected from an existing repertoire.
Eight tracks with their own sequence
The LP contains eight selections, five written by Cardello. “Gone Fishin’”, “Steppin’ Up”, “Don’t Look Back”, “Where Do We Go Now” and “Music for the People” appear alongside compositions by Cole Porter, Cedar Walton and Thelonious Monk. Original pieces and inherited material share the space available for this first studio portrait.
“Ask Me Now” is a particularly interesting inclusion. Cardello plays Monk’s composition on unaccompanied piano, and the recording is exclusive to the LP. The vinyl release therefore has its own selection of tracks compared with the CD and digital editions. Within the record, the change from trio to solo piano provides a useful comparison: the same musician must now account for space otherwise shaped together with bass and drums.
A trio with room to expand
Porter’s “All of You” and Walton’s “Groundwork” establish two further points of reference, placing familiar compositions between Cardello’s own pieces. Listen for changes of role within the trio. When does the piano lead, and when does a rhythmic figure allow bass or drums to step forward? The group remains small enough for those relationships to be followed directly.
Chris Lewis brings another melodic voice to “Don’t Look Back”. It is his only guest appearance on this LP, making the sequence different from the longer CD programme. Moving between trio, quartet and solo piano gives the record a variety that begins with the changing possibilities of its instrumentation. Those differences are part of the album’s structure, rather than simply a list of guest credits.
This edition
The stereo LP from Liam Records and Jazz Bird Records carries label number ARF-2, distributed by Acoustic Sounds as ALIAM 41382. It runs at 33⅓ RPM, is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP and comes in a Stoughton tip-on sleeve. The production uses digital 96 kHz/24-bit files. Marc Urselli at Audio Confidential handled mastering, Dave McNair cut the lacquers, and Michael Fremer is credited as vinyl executive producer.
Michael 45 holds the goods in Germany and ships from Hilden, allowing customers in Germany and the EU to discover the album without undertaking a personal US import or waiting for customs clearance.
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Musicians
Documented selection of participating musicians. Personnel may vary by track; this list does not claim to be complete.
| Name | Instrument / role |
|---|---|
| Caelan Cardello | Piano |
| Jonathon Muir-Cotton | Bass |
| Domo Branch | Drums |
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