[Cover photo credit to Alex Frankel]

6x Grammy-winning pianist and composer Billy Childs has released his new album, Triumvirate, on Mack Avenue Records. This marks his first trio recording in 25 years, and Triumvirate features his touring group, including bassist Matt Penman and drummer Ari Hoenig.

The album features material revisited from Childs’ earliest recordings within an intimate setting that speaks to evolution. Over the weekend, Childs spoke with NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday to share insight into the making of Triumvirate, including his single “One Fleeting Instant.” That single is out now.

In preparing the setlist for Triumvirate, Childs reached back into his repertoire from some of his earliest recordings to find material. For this occasion, he enlisted Penman and Hoenig. While Childs hadn’t officially recorded with either Penman or Hoenig in the past, they had formed the rhythm section for quartets with players like Steve Wilson, Chris Potter and Sean Jones. During the course of those gigs, they would typically include a trio number in the set.

The album title Triumvirate comes from the Roman word indicating “a group of three, all holding equal power and responsibility.” That is certainly the case for this trio.

Triumvirate is the follow-up to Childs’ 2023 LP The Winds of Change, which took home the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album upon its release. During his 50 year career, Childs has garnered six Grammy Awards and 17 nominations, while receiving commissions from ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Symphony, the Orpheus Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the American Brass Quintet. His works have been performed at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, and Disney Concert Hall.

Later this month, Childs will bring his new music to cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York.

Tour Dates:

April 30 – San Francisco, CA – Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall *

May 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Walt Disney Concert Hall +

May 13-17 – New York, NY – Smoke Jazz Club

May 19 – Washington, D.C. – Blues Alley

May 22 – Rockport, MA – Shalin Liu Center

May 23 – Old Lyme, CT – Side Door

May 29-30 – Los Angeles, CA – Catalina’s

July 5 – Portsmouth, NH – Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club

* RJAM Big Band featuring Billy Childs on piano

+ Billy Childs – piano, Dan Chmielinski – bass, Christian Euman – drums, along with strings from the LA Phil