Acoustic trio work with Stanley Clarke (double bass) and Bireli Lagrene (acoustic guitar).

Released by Verve/Universal in North America, and by Impulse/Universal in Europe.

The origin of this project with Jean Luc, Stanley, and Bireli as a trio dates back to 2012 when French jazz impresario and the album associate producer François Lacharme, produced an all-star concert at Paris’ Chatelet Theatre to salute Jean Luc’s 50-year-long career. In addition to performing with a symphony orchestra, Jean Luc organized two trios, one of which included Stanley Clarke – a longtime music collaborator – and French Gypsy guitarist Bireli Lagrène, whom neither Jean Luc nor Stanley had yet performed with before. The three only performed five pieces during a 20-minute set, yet the performance’s impact was so immense that it inspired Lacharme to converse with Jean-Philippe Allard – jazz director of Universal Music France and general manager for Impulse! Records – about the prospects of recording them. Two years later, the three nestled inside the ICP studios in Brussels for four days to record D-STRINGZ.

This release is available in CD and download formats through Amazon and other retailers.

Track listing:

• STRETCH (Biréli Lagrène)
• TO AND FRO (Jean Luc Ponty)
• TOO YOUNG TO GO STEADY (Harold Adamson / Jimmy Mc Hugh)
• BIT OF BURD (Stanley Clarke)
• NUAGES (Django Reinhardt)
• CHILDHOOD MEMORIES (SOUVENIRS D‘ENFANCE) (Jean Luc Ponty)
• BLUE TRAIN (John Coltrane)
• PARADIGM SHIFT (Stanley Clarke)
• MERCY, MERCY, MERCY (Joe Zawinul)

Note: Steve Shehan provides percussion on several tracks.