"Beautiful music from the mind of pianist Peter James"

BBC Radio 3, Jazz Line Up. Julian Joseph plays music from Kairos Ensemble's Passion Suite. March 2010

Sensing that less can often mean more, the Peter James Trio make astute use of space and light on this debut outing. Peter James' graceful piano playing is beautifully supported by double bassist Jeremy Brown and Tom Hooper on drums across a programme of crisp original compositions and a sumptuous cover of the old standard, Stella By Starlight.
Alongside the trio's lithe and agile interplay, James' writing is a substantial part of the draw. Several tunes have a persuasive quality to them, rich in colour and generously endowed with intriguing harmonies and some surprising turns.
My Heart Longs for a Far Away Country crosses through several borders, cutting some seriously dashing interplay between the principle instruments along the way, before coming unexpectedly to rest with James alone in a wistful contemplation. It sounds as though the pianist is wondering how he came to end up in such a glittering, spectral place.
Poise and elegance tends to come with this combination of instruments. The Peter James Trio can add passion and push to that list. Exploring some of the same colours as the Marcin Wasilewski Trio in places, they may not have the prestige of a big name label like ECM behind them but this music is every bit as worthy.

Sid Smith, Postcards From The Yellow Room August 2009

A chance encounter at the 606 Club secured Peter James - who, although in his mid-thirties, appears to have come out of nowhere with this debut album - a glowing endorsement from Julian Joseph. Several others have stepped in to add their plaudits since, and listening to this charmingly crafted and soulful disc, you can hear why. Recorded with a couple of fellow Royal Academy grads, Thomas Hooper on drums and the well-established Jeremy Brown on double bass, Visions and Vistas shows off James's effervescent, Jarrettish touch. In many ways this in a fairly old-fashioned acoustic piano trio album - no electronics, and no Black Sabbath or Radiohead covers, the only non-original being a groovy assault on Victor Young's standard-of-standards ‘Stella by Starlight'. The tunes are well structured with a strong melodic sense: funky, Latin influences infuse the likes of ‘After Siesta', opening piano solo ‘Del Corazon' has both classical and Spanish inflections, while ‘My heart Longs for a Far Away Country' showcases some spirited and inventive trio interplay, and ‘Thanksgiving' finishes things off in (to quote James's own words) eclectically "township-hoedown-rollicking" style. ***

Robert Shore, Jazzwise Magazine September 2009

The Peter James Trio (pianist James, bassist Jeremy Brown, drummer Tom Hooper) began with a piece from their impressive debut album, Visions and Vistas (see CD Reviews), 'After Siesta', a brisk original subtly imbued with latin influences à la Chick Corea, and subsequently played that recording's title tune and a teasingly funky/groove-based version of Victor Young's evergreen 'Stella by Starlight', but for the most part, they aired robust new material. A particular highlight was a three-part suite, 'Soul Story', which not only played to the trio's individual strengths (Hooper's assertive but unshowy drumming, Brown's lithe eloquence, James's fluent power) but also showcased James's considerable compositional skills, which allow him to produce pieces whose irresistible, often almost Tyner-esque momentum is somehow never allowed to compromise either their fleetness or their rhythmic complexity. An intriguingly reworked 'My Funny Valentine' justifiably roused a full house to demand an encore; all in all, a fascinatingly varied, thoroughly enjoyable evening's music.

Chris Parker, Vortex Gig Reviews August 2009

"Fabulous playing by a great new band"

BBC Radio Ulster, Linley Hamilton's After Midnight 19th April 2009

I know little about pianist James; he's a new name to me although he turns out to have been around for ages. The website tells me that James is in his mid-30s and moved from Scarborough to study at the Royal Academy from which he emerged with a first class degree. So far, so academic. More to the point, he also began to hone the kind of pianistic skills which make this album such a delight. He names Oscar Peterson and Keith Jarrett as influences and it's easy to detect that latter's luminous touch on the lovely 'Del Corazon'. Some of James's pieces bring in Latin touches, others are funkier but the binding factor is his educated touch and canny harmonic sense. He's also got the gift of melody, as the Goons were wont to say, and can turn a pretty phrase or two, as on the catchy 'Embrace' or on his version of 'Stella by Starlight', the only standard on the recording. There's evidence throughout of a thoughtful approach, well made, intelligent structures inviting clever responses, the occasional hint of a classical upbringing only aiding and abetting the overall achievement. Bassist Jeremy Brown and drummer Thomas Hooper are up for it all, discreet or assertive as required, the whole adding up to an auspicious first dip of the toe in the heady waters of the jazz mainstream.

Peter Vacher, Jazz UK magazine April/May 2009

"Excellent new British jazz trio"

Jazzfm, Mike Chadwick's Cutting Edge 15th March 2009

'A strong identity', 'optimism and musicality' and 'well-crafted and thoughtful compositions' are three complimentary (and entirely justified) comments from Julian Joseph on the press release accompanying this album, which contains nine originals and a standard ('Stella by Starlight') by Royal Academy alumni Peter James (piano), Jeremy Brown (bass) and Thomas Hooper (drums). It begins with a solo piano piece, 'Del Corazón', which immediately showcases James's strengths: in addition to a deftness and delicacy of touch, he is able to infuse his playing with a much rarer and less tangible quality: genuine sentiment, or - aptly in view of the piece's title -  heart. Joined by his bandmates on later cuts, he manages to maintain this emotional intensity on a series of memorably melodic, affecting originals, ranging from the relatively complex title-piece to more straightforward musical reactions to melancholic wanderlust ('My Heart Longs for a Far Away Country'), the self-explanatory 'Mistral' and the latin-inflected, lightly funky 'After Siesta'. Ringing the changes intelligently between styles and moods (James himself accurately describes 'Thanksgiving' as possessing a 'township-hoedown-rollicking vibe', and 'Stella by Starlight' is pleasingly rambunctious), this is a compelling, musicianly album from an elegant but sparky trio, which promises much as a live act.

Chris Parker, Vortex CD reviews February 2009

"Peter James is a pianist who emerged with an amazing crop of musicians attending the Royal Academy of Music in the 90's. It included guys like Christian Garrick and Jeremy Brown who have been developing in the public gaze over the last 15 years or so. Peter however, has been developing in private but develop he has!
When we first met he struck me as a musician with a strong identity and inner calling and a decade and a half later that identity and calling has increased.
These attributes plus the optimism and musicality I first heard are enhanced now with a more assured technique, conception and well-crafted and thoughtful compositions.
Two friends from his academy days join him on drums and bass; Tom Hooper and the now well established Jeremy Brown, for a Trio recording full of pieces that combine to take you on a beautiful musical journey. As an improviser James is lucid and imaginative and truly communicates. Visions and Vistas from the Peter James Trio is long overdue from a talent with a lot to say and the vocabulary to say it soulfully!"
 
Julian Joseph, pianist/composer/broadcaster February 2009