If you enjoy good jazz and appreciate accordion talent, you must own this CD.  Reminds me a lot of the French Manouche on some of the songs.  Especially with the excellent guitar fingerwork.  The arrangements are comfortable and the selection is varied.  I'm very surprised we don't hear more about this trio.
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Very interesting stylist. Hildreth uses grace notes, slurred notes, staccato, and legato combined with varied rhythms of tasteful licks to produce a unique approach to the tunes. The only problem, from my perspective, is the sound of the guitar, alluded to in another review as well. Too metallic or twangy for my tastes, but overall I recommend the CD highly.
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This CD was recorded in May of 2004 and released in 2005 by groovytodd records. Naturally, we assume the groovytodd refers to the accordionist, Todd Hildreth. I think you will agree this CD is indeed groovy in all sorts of jazzy ways! If you were sitting in a restaurant or a bar and this group began playing, you would take notice and listen. 

Todd has used really great tunes with some rather good ideas in his arrangements. He plays some very nice improvisations with good solid right hand technique and controls the phrasing quite well. In fact, he uses his bellows like a true musician.

He is one of the many young accordionists around that so many people never have a chance to hear. Some of us don't get to Louisville, KY (USA) too often; this CD is a great way to hear what's happening in the jazz field in that city. I say if you like jazz and like to hear good young jazz accordionists, buy this CD.

The accordion pictured on the cover is a Giulietti piano accordion, but it seemed to me that Todd might have used a different accordion on a couple of the tunes. Nevertheless, the recording engineers did a fine job with the accordion sound, which is often hard to capture well. The guitar sound, for my likes, was a bit too close with a "twang" to it a few times, but the playing was fine. In fact, both the guitar and the bass players contributed a lot to the general success of this album. Good job.

Reviewed by Joan Cochran Sommers
(August 2005)
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Yeah, that’s right, accordion.
Todd Hildreth, the pianist renowned for his jazz performances, has two new recordings. One’s a jazz trio, but this one is what it says it is.

This is lady and the tramp sharing spaghetti music. This is cotton candy at the State Fair music. Postmodern cartoon music. Comparisons are unavoidable, albeit unfortunate. This is serious music, played with whimsy and a lack of inhibition.

Bassist Fitzgerald provides nimble, consistent support, especially on “Blue Monk.” Wagner stands out on guitar: almost as good as Django, if not quite as beautiful.

The trio speeds through “You and the Night and the Music,” landing somewhere between polka and bluegrass. Hildreth’s accordion playing on “The Days of Wine and Roses” suggests a saxophone, Dexter Gordon alone in Paris. All three shine equally on a contemplative “Stella by Starlight.” Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” is a nice try, but suffers without vocals. 
“Body and Soul” might have been better served by a piano, but is still romantic.
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