Paul's biographical trajectory—Indian upbringing, studies with Berklee alumnus Smarajeet Bhattacharya, a Master's from Kingston University under Meredith White—might suggest another well-schooled player navigating familiar contemporary jazz waters. Yet *Roots* announces a distinctive voice, one that has genuinely absorbed disparate influences rather than simply name-checking them. The album's conceptual spine proves more than decorative: each composition genuinely grows from specific cultural or emotional soil, with Paul alongside Portuguese collaborators Manuel Filgueiras (drums) and Rafael Silveira (double bass) cultivating a sound that feels simultaneously grounded and exploratory.

The title track establishes the album's ambitions immediately. Paul weaves Indian rhythmic cycles into contemporary harmonic language without the awkwardness that often plagues such fusion attempts. The piece feels organic rather than constructed, suggesting a musician for whom these traditions genuinely coexist rather than requiring diplomatic negotiation. His touch at the keys—informed by the lineage from Tatum through Monk to Evans—carries both precision and warmth, never sacrificing one for the other.

"No Love" inhabits more intimate terrain, its restraint proving more affecting than any grand gesture might achieve. Paul understands that vulnerability in music often resides not in what gets played but in what remains unspoken, allowing space to breathe between phrases. The trio's telepathy becomes particularly evident here, with Silveira's bass providing melodic counterpoint rather than mere foundation while Filgueiras's drums respond with sensitivity to the piece's emotional contours.

The hypnotic "Midnight Echoes" showcases Paul's compositional craft through its insistent ostinato, building a nocturnal atmosphere that recalls the modal explorations of McCoy Tyner while maintaining its own identity. The piece demonstrates mature pacing—it knows when to intensify and when to let a groove simply exist, trusting listeners to find their own way into its repetitive structures.

"Melancholic Waltz" and "Hope" bookend the album's emotional spectrum effectively. The former embraces nostalgia without sentimentality, its 3/4 lilt carrying genuine tenderness. The latter looks forward with optimism that feels earned rather than imposed, Paul's harmonic choices suggesting renewal without resorting to cliché. Between them, "Sinister Syncopation" injects welcome unpredictability, its playfully dark character and rhythmic misdirection providing necessary contrast.

The cross-cultural dialogue between Paul and his Portuguese bandmates enriches the music considerably. This proves no mere backing arrangement but genuine collaboration, with all three musicians contributing to a shared musical conversation. Their combined sensibilities—Indian, Portuguese, British jazz scene—create something that transcends simple addition, suggesting how musical traditions might genuinely merge rather than merely coexist.

Paul's piano playing throughout reveals serious engagement with the instrument's history. Echoes of Tigran Hamasyan's rhythmic sophistication and Brad Mehldau's harmonic invention surface without overwhelming his own emerging voice. His understanding of Indian classical music's improvisational and rhythmic dimensions provides genuine differentiation in a crowded contemporary jazz landscape.

At just six tracks, *Roots* functions more as extended statement than comprehensive survey, yet this brevity serves the music well. Paul avoids overstatement, trusting his material to communicate without excessive elaboration. The production captures the trio's interplay with clarity, allowing the acoustic instruments to resonate naturally.

*Roots* positions Joel Paul as a significant talent worthy of attention beyond London's club circuit. While the album occasionally reveals its maker still finding his way—moments where influence weighs slightly heavy—it more often demonstrates genuine artistic vision. This is thoughtful, accomplished music from a pianist-composer who has genuinely considered what he wishes to say and discovered effective means of saying it.

author - Vitali Malyshko