The Art of Conversation is a study in clear-headed togetherness. Veteran pianist Kenny Barron has a lucid, subtle sense of harmony, and the far-ranging resume of bassist Dave Holland includes stints with Miles Davis and Anthony Braxton. On Conversation’s opener, Holland provides a head-nodding bass groove for his piece “The Oracle,” where Barron artfully lays out the melodious theme and solos with great focus. One of the most striking compositions here is Barron’s “Seascape,” which has a Latin vibe. The album concludes with Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington’s “Day Dream”; the performance is calm, deliberate, and shaded by melancholy.

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