Having recently completed work on their first CD "Venturing Forth," the Crews/Griffin/Stephens Trio is already contemplating its second. The challenge of any musical ensemble is to merge individual creative utterances into a coherent, compelling voice. These three Louisville musicians seek to attain that level of collective expression in this classic improvisational format of piano, bass and drums. They bring to this mix untold hours of practice, private listening and classroom study (Crews and Stephens are both graduates of the University of Louisville School of Music; Griffin is a music graduate of Bellarmine College.) Additionally, their knowledge of the jazz language has been enhanced immeasurably by performing regionally with many of the outstanding players that grace this community. Their CD "Venturing Forth" presents a diverse selection of jazz compositions (both standards and original compositions) that highlight their discipline, perseverance and joy - celebrating jazz's rich tradition, while reveling in the spontaneous.