2nd October 2026: Drummer and composer Juan Chiavassa’s second Whirlwind release ‘Three on Three’ available for pre order today

The brand new album from Argentinian drummer and composer Juan Chiavassa is now available to pre order in CD, DL and vinyl, featuring Boris Kozlov and David Kikoski.

CD / DL / 180 gram LP 

ABOUT THE ALBUM

Juan Chiavassa isn’t standing still. The acclaim for his debut album, the star-studded Fourth Generation, would have been enough to sustain him far into the future, but he’s too busy playing with the Mike Stern band and honing his production skills with Julieta Rada’s Grammy-nominated Candombe to rest on his laurels. Now he’s back with another project under his own name: stripping things back down to basics to explore his deep and abiding love for the jazz tradition of his adopted New York City hometown to create a record exploring the classic piano trio format. “Making my own album is like a treat to myself. I’m here in New York surrounded by these great musicians, giants who carry the direct line of the legacy down to us.”

For this record, Juan selected two of the very finest in David Kikoski on piano and his long-time associate Boris Kozlov on bass. David was one of the first musicians that Juan played with when he arrived in New York, but there’s another reason for the association that draws on the deepest source of his inspiration: both David and Boris played in the trio of the great Roy Haynes. “Roy is my favorite drummer. He’s loose and sharp at the same time. He played with an openness in a way that nobody really did before. I’ve always loved the piano trio format; it’s so pleasing to the ear, and it can be so interactive and dynamic, so gentle or so aggressive, like a continuous conversation. This album gave me the chance to explore this great legacy with two masters of the form, and to play tribute to Roy and the inspiration he’s given to so many.”

Each tune forges another link in the chain that leads us back to the Roy Haynes legacy and forwards into its future directions. ‘James’ by Pat Metheny was  a regular staple of Roy’s trio with David and Boris, with Juan’s straight eights driving the typical Metheny wide-screen country gospel inflected feel, and Boris taking the first solo of the album with his trademark melodic facility. “He makes me sound so good,” laughs Juan. Next we are thrown into ‘Satellite’, a ferociously up-tempo reading of Coltrane’s trademark harmonic sophistication. “I wanted to showcase David on a fast swinger with changes and he just eats it up; he’s so killing on this tune.”  Juan’s love of the piano trio mastery of Bill Evans is apparent on his own Evans-influenced ‘Waltz’ that captures the lighter-than-air conversational style that Evans pioneered.

Sonny Rollins’ composition ‘Grand Street’ was originally recorded by Rollins with a big brass ensemble but it’s minor key lilting swing makes it perfect for a trio and gives Juan a chance to pay tribute to Roy Haynes’ genius with the brushes over a long solo. Grand Street was Sonny’s address in Manhattan – ‘Weeksville’ is Juan’s neighborhood in Brooklyn and his own composition celebrating it explores the McCoy Tyner sound in a rolling 12/8 minor blues with a brooding, powerful intensity. “Every trio album needs a bossa,” jokes Juan, and for this album he selected David’s ‘Train Of Thought.’ Kikoski delights with a typically poised, intricate introduction before the long, wistful melody draws the listener along. Another Coltrane tune, the little-know ‘Vilia,’ gives the trio the opportunity to dig into a classic rendition of poised medium-up New York swing pocket, before David’s ‘E’ turns the dial the other way for a fiercely intricate original that bursts into a protracted improvisation that pushes at the boundaries of freedom.

Finally, ‘Darn That Dream’ was a last-minute studio suggestion that returns the focus to Bill Evan’s unmistakable conversational style.  This album provides a feast of delight for the listener to enjoy. There’s an abundance of wonderful solo improvisations from everyone but it’s the cohesion and musicality of the ensemble playing and the passionate dedication to the music that resonates most. “I wanted to put myself into Roy’s world with these tunes, as everyone has a link back to him, to pay tribute to his greatness. It’s just such so much fun playing this music with these guys. It’s like the ideas never end, you know, it’s just effortless.”