Three recent releases feature veteran international pianists, one who is no longer with us and two others almost a generation apart. The one who has since passed happens to also be one of the all-time great jazz pianists: Frenchman Michel Petrucciani (1962-99) overcame a genetic disease (which greatly stunted his physical growth) and brittle bones to create rewarding music throughout his busy, if all-too-short life.

The Montreux Years (part of an extensive series that benefits the Claude Nobs Foundation) is a superb release consisting of previously unreleased performances by the pianist (from the Montreux Jazz Festivals of 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1998) and serves as a reminder of the major loss jazz suffered when Petrucciani died in 1999 at only 37 years of age. The pianist is heard in a variety of settings, starting with a real surprise: "35 Seconds of Music and More" features him with a boppish sextet (bassist Anthony Jackson, drummer Steve Gadd and three excellent horn players from France), an unusual setting for him. From the same date, performing in a trio with Jackson and Gadd, Petrucciani romps through the rhythm changes of "Little Peace in C for U", playing bebop at the highest level.

Two numbers (including a beautiful version of "Estate" that includes some stunning double time runs) have Petrucciani in a quartet with sweetening by Adam Holzman on synthesizer. There are three duets with bassist Miroslav Vitous: "Autumn Leaves", "So What" and a very effective uptempo version of "My Funny Valentine". A cooking "Summertime" has the pianist engaging in wondrous tradeoffs with organist Eddy Louiss. Petrucciani is also heard solo on "Take the 'A' Train" (which he takes apart) and a romantic version of his own "You Are My Waltz".

The other two releases are entirely solo efforts, starting with Mike Nock (who turns 83 this month). Nock left his native New Zealand to play music in Australia, and would spend 25 years based in New York, working with Yusef Lateef (1963-65) and leading the Fourth Way (1968-70). He has been back in Australia since 1985 and has at least 35 releases under his name, with Hearing being his first solo album in 30 years.

Performing 13 pieces (ten originals and three obscurities, including Bernie McGann's charming "Spirit Song"), Nock is in a consistently gentle mood, even when the performance is a free improvisation. Five of the selections are under two minutes in length, so he makes each moment count during this high-quality set of thoughtful and melodic mood music. Ranging from the playful "Conundrum" to a ballad for a fallen friend ("Vale John") to the attractively picturesque "Sunrise", Hearing serves as an excellent showcase for the pianist.

Swiss pianist Katharina Weber (65 this month) is an improviser and composer who additionally plays modern classical music. In Marta's Garden consists of brief sketches (only two of the 19 pieces exceed four minutes). It is the pianist's fourth album and second as a solo pianist for Intakt, and consists of 17 originals plus two by composer György Kurtág (with whom she studied in Hungary).

Weber's approach is closer to Ran Blake than to Cecil Taylor, in that she utilizes space and silence creatively, dramatically changing moods from piece to piece, which range from introspection or near-silence to moments of explosiveness. Her pieces are generally based on a single idea: variations on a phrase or, as on "Extemporale 1", something as simple as repeating one note. She often sounds as if she is thinking aloud at the piano, and her thoughts are never predictable, sometimes even jarring. In Marta's Garden will definitely keep listeners guessing.

For more info visit storyvillerecords.com, abc.net.au/abcmusic and intaktrec.ch

The Márta of the title of this solo piano album by many-faceted Swiss pianist, composer and teacher Katharina Weber (b. 1958) is Márta Kurtág (1927 -2019). Weber first got to know the Kurtágs in 1989, and stayed in dialogue with them for three decades. She has performed and taught their music extensively (two of her previous albums on Intakt include it), she visited them often in Hungary, and her own compositional practice has been influenced and mentored by them. This solo piano album both starts and finishes with a piece by György Kurtág from the collection Játékok (games) in each case the piece is specifically dedicated by him to his wife Márta.

Katharina Weber is at the confluence of so many different streams of music. She has worked with Fred Frith, who has called her a “piano icon”, and is often to be found in the company of free improvisers such as Swiss saxophonist Christian Kobi. But she is also at the heart of the Swiss contemporary classical composition stream, and has dedicated pieces on the album to composer/performers such as Gertrud Schneider and Heinz Holliger. Her Beethoven 250 Commission from the SUISA Foundation was about Beethoven’s “6 Variations on a Swiss song” from 1790... as seen through the prism of John Cage. And the label she records for, the always impressive and thoughtful Intakt, is probably best known for its jazz recordings, notably those of another, very different Swiss pianist Irene Schweizer.

Perhaps it is in contrast to Schweizer that Katharina Weber’s own character comes through most clearly. With Schweizer you don't have to read far before the word "fireworks" crops up yet again. Weber is nothing like that. She works with uncrowded textures, indeed her economy of expression throughout this disc is very affecting. “Monastic” is a word that has been used to describe her art. The compositions, improvisations and explorations on In Márta’s Garden stay with miniature forms, and yet there is a constantly vivid and eternally curious imagination at work here, and also a clear preoccupation with structure and form. One of the most compelling pieces is half way through, “Quasi Campane” (Like Bells) which is a wonderful and unhurried exploration of the natural resonances of the piano, a fine Bösendorfer, superbly recorded. Quiet, contemplative, and recommended. - Sebastian Scotney

https://theartsdesk.com/classical-music/classical-cds-canons-castles-and-converted-chapel