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Recent Recordings by Area Musicians
The recital begins with a rolling trio number, followed by a sextet, and by the fourth track we hear only a clarinet/bass duo. While the core of the musicians is derived from Keller's six-piece ensemble, the addition of vibes and clarinet on some tracks, and the use of a piano trio on the first and last parts, help create a sound that differs from any of his other projects. Those familiar with Keller's work will recognize his love of combining elements from modern as well as earlier phases of jazz as well as his dedication to the art of swinging. All the musicians, except the drummers, get solo opportunities, but this is not simply a set of tunes for jamming; Keller has constructed complex arrangements that provide both backgrounds for soloists as well as interludes that link their statements. All in all: a lovely and loving achievement that marks a new phase of Keller's development as an artist!
The CD consists of six improvisations that were recorded in concert at The Stone in New York City last summer. Listening to the two opening numbers, "Korteh Khah," I kept thinking that one could conceive of this as a distant riff on the first great Bill Evans trio, which reconfigured the piano trio into a group of equal parts rather than soloist with accompaniment. It all begins with Parker's deliberate bass, with the drummer's comments, and only slowly does the piano enter, with percussive stabs that avoid flowing melody. Each of the six improvisations explores a different feeling and a different dynamic between the three musicians, and the longer pieces such as "Cranes" are built up with great patience and deliberation, imposing tension and release over longer stretches of time than one usually expects, utilizing many different instrumental techniques and interactive strategies to create highly emotional statement. As a result, the six compositions seem more like a suite; indeed, at their CD release performance at The Stone in January, which was also recorded for release, they played only one long improvisation that never wavered in imaginative playing. It is fascinating to observe that one can still find a completely original manner of construing a piano/bass/drums trio. I N - T H I S - I S S U E : |
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