snobb Pianist Jacky Terrasson was born in Berlin (to a French mother and an American father) and studied jazz at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.Spending his time between States and his home town of Paris, he absorbed elements of two great jazz cultures - American traditionalism and French sentimentalism.

For a first time I met him few years ago in students organised jazz festival playing live in Vilnius University's St.John Church.Summer afternoon was warm and acoustic piano music sounded great around sixteen century's old University small yards.Obvious (French) contemporary jazz sentimental flavor gave some additional beauty and elegance to the sound - I really liked that concert.

When some years later I found Jacky's Venus (Japanese) release, my memory just pushed me to take it and to return back to this beautiful summer evening. Speaking about modern post-bop (and related jazz)recordings I absolutely prefer Japanese releases (especially recorded live) - they usually have that warm acoustic and a bit old-fashioned atmosphere of good old jazz.

Later,listening to Terrasson's "Lover Man", one of his very early recordings,coming from early 90s, I was thinking that you can never return back in time (and especially in atmosphere) you experienced somewhere in your life. Being more post bop than his later contemporary jazz, this album has Jacky's melancholic and slightly sentimental signature besides of fast and energetic acoustic piano trio sound, but possibly such music sounds better in right place and special time. Some standards and few strong originals are really competent and even enjoying, but the magic has gone.

Still really better than just average post bop album though.