Argentinian pianist Leo Genovese has been turning heads following his high profile tours and recordings with singer-bassist Esperanza Spalding ever since 2005. In his recordings as leader so far, Genovese shows he's one of those all-embracing highly virtuosic contemporary pianists who can cram in tonnes of ideas without a second thought, using a wide-ranging palette of avant-classical/jazz, pre-bop piano styles to pop song and everything inbetween.

New album Estrellero has a more condensed approach though and is less voluble than his earlier 2023 release, Solo Piano en Rosario. This is his trio of fellow countryman and Porto-based bassist Demain Cabaud, another Berklee alumni and close collaborator, and the Portuguese drummer Marcos Cavaleiro. Genovese and Cabaud who share the writing between them, play with a few of the unique latin rhythms of their homeland. Genovese is lucid and exuberant in spite of his intricate, enigmatic ideas that seem to be partially shaped by a jazz piano lineage that would consist of Monk and Bley through to the trance-like hymnal ambience of Stanley Cowell and the neo-soul-ish harmonic grooviness of Robert Glasper.

His shapely slipping and sliding phrases have a real purpose about them without lacking the element of surprise. His rhythm section follows closely on his heels, responding in a propulsive free-bop-ish way with positive results. Above all, it's a perceptibly soulful recording.