Almost guaranteed that nobody in the Northwest thinks of Winnipeg as a jazz hotbed, but that’s where pianist Presslaff has settled and made a name for himself after spending time in New York with notables like Benny Carter, Howard Levy and Bill Barron. With Julian Bradford on bass and Scott Senior on drums, he makes an interesting modern jazz disc. The compositions are often meditative, sometimes intense and occasionally thick for a trio. But Presslaff is an impressive player, using chords to lay an often darker mood, as on the title track, which features an extended solo by Bradford as Senior lays behind the beat. Senior, an accomplished conguero, brings polyrhythms to the trio, rounding out the sound and often sounding like a drummer and a percussionist rolled into one. His funky vibe on “‘Nother Monkish Thing” gives the close harmonies of the head a nice bed of beats. If this is what Winnipeg jazz is like, perhaps it’s time to venture to the cold north for a listen.
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The piano trio format has always been a very popular one throughout the history of jazz, and it has been the launchpad for many musical stars.
And I think Red Goddess by the Jeff Presslaff Trio could be the calling card for potentially a new one. The album consists of ten Presslaff compositions, falling somewhere between mid-tempo, mellow and with a hint of urban blues in there too, so ideal for late night listening or perhaps the car stereo, or perhaps the iPod for more intimate listening.
The music on this CD is certainly intimate, closely recorded and crystal clear so that you can study the playing, if inclined that way. Along with the pianist, Julian Bradford is on acoustic bass and Scott Senior on drums. The music on this album focuses on Presslaff's adulthood experiences and contains evocative titles such as: Summer Somewhere, Secrets, 2 Blue 2B, Having Met Ms Jones, Two Way Rays. Red Goddess is certainly a very listenable album and it should appeal to the piano fans.
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Absolutely right on jazz piano trio by a former New Yorker determined to make a jazz scene in Canada.  Solid date that covers several modes and attitudes, anyone looking for a nice, solid mainstream date that has some rough edges will find this to be a real find.  Well done.
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Trombonist/pianist Jeff Presslaff moved here from the States in 1997 and quickly became one of the more colourful additions to the local jazz scene. On this Trio disc, Presslaff focuses on piano compositions that span his adulthood, and relies on young bassist Julian Bradford and former Duhks percussionist Scott Senior to push and prod him into the effervescent sparks that shine from each of these tunes, which are mainly deconstructed blues outings that rely on their rhythmic hearts to maintain their structures. This won't be the easiest jazz album you'll ever listen to, but if you meet its challenge it will be satisfying, again and again.
— John Kendle, Uptown Magazine
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