Please can you tell us about your new album and launch concert?
The new album, 2 sorts of 3, combines an electric trio, and an acoustic trio. When I say electric, it’s Rhodes Mk8 electric piano [a monster] with Dudley Phillips on electric basses and Nic France on drums. When it’s acoustic it’s Yamaha piano, Freddie Jensen on double bass and Marius Rodrigues on drums. Matching the compositions with the very different sound of both groups was sometimes crucial [ready the lifeboats] but less important when it comes to the opening and closing tracks,’onto’ and ‘out of the water’, which use the same musical elements but contrasting feels. It was rewarding to play with each group, the electric as it’s an old pair of gloves, and the acoustic as it’s a brand-new pair!
There is a launch gig at the Pizza Express Dean St in the matinee slot on Saturday the 17th of January, at which Dudley and Nic and Freddie will be playing but unfortunately not Marius as the commute from Japan would have been a bit much, but Rod Youngs is replacing him and that’s certainly no bad thing.
What other projects are you currently involved in?
I’m working with a handful of bands: ARQ – Alison Rayner’s Quintet, Ben Crosland’s lineup Threeway with Steve Waterman on trumpet, Filomena Campus’s quartet, [album coming in ’26] Guillermo Hill, along with choir accompanying and west end shows.
What are you currently listening to and what was the last CD or download you bought?
This week I have been mostly listening to…..Keith Jarrett’s 1974 album ‘belonging’ and Branford Marsalis’s 2025 album ‘belonging’. Same [great]tunes, very different approaches; fascinating to compare. Outstanding players all round.
What is your all-time favourite album and why?
Thanks for the impossible question! I’m going to say Joe Henderson’s ‘double rainbow’,an album of Jobim tunes featuring Eliane Elias and Herbie Hancock on piano; Eliane works with a mix of Brasilian players and Herbie teams with dave holland on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Jobim writes with perfect harmonic [and melodic] poise, and his ’standards’ provide just as fertile ground for soloing as the Great American Songbook. Joe is brilliant with both groups.
Who has caught you attention recently that we should be listening out for?
I found Sullivan Fortner through the singer Cecile Mcclorin, his ears are very large indeed, and his execution of ideas always interesting. Of course you have to notice Welsh, now London-based Joe Webb, who is capable of anything it seems, well, almost anything.
2 Sorts Of 3 by Steve Lodder is released on CD & Digital on Friday 5 December 2025
Launch concert at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London on Saturday 17 January 2026
