Any CD that starts out with a nicely rhythmically displaced version of Sam Rivers' beautiful "Beatrice" will get my attention. And the Dan Phillips BKK Trio's Bangkok Edge (Music+) does that. Phillips plays electric guitar and apparently teaches at a University in Bangkok, Thailand. His trio of Chanutr Techatana-nan, drums, and Pornchart Viriyapark, bass, is solid and they are joined by tenorist Jakob Dinesen to make it a quartet for half the set.
Dinesen is certainly good but Phillips is the main draw here. He has a sophisticated chordal sense, hammers-on or straight-picks his way through some nice soloing. He's mainstream-hip without necessarily sounding like one particular player--so in that way he's got his own voice. And he bursts over with improvisational ideas so it is a most interesting set.
Along with "Beatrice" there are two originals and some choice jazz and songbook standards--"Wine and Roses," but also "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing" from Strayhorn (in a very interesting arrangement), a couple from Trane and Monk, etc. Changes are implied and stated mostly and the solos go well with them, to give you an idea of what's going on.
It's a feather in Dan Phillips's cap for sure. He's come through and it sounds good!
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