| Stacken, Opsvik, and Davis, take a fresh approach to the piano trio in this recording of ten Stacken compositions and two group improvisations.
Here, the roles of soloist and accompanist frequently interchange. In the opening of "Humidity", pianist Stacken plays a sequence of tonal-defining bass notes as Opsvik and drummer Davis play together with all the pattern and patter of an mbira. In "Bulge in Tire", which develops into a traditional modern jazz feel, complete with a slight 'bounce' in its 4/4 swing (Erroll Garner?), it's the drummer who restates the theme.
All of Stacken's compositions are sketches (none of them runs over 5 minutes), but they don't feel brief or too small because of the players' unwavering focus on exploring the details of texture, rhythm, and colour.
There's a consistently unrushed feeling to this music, which skirts the far edges of blues tonality, but is melodious, and leans towards free.
by David Fujino — July 2008
|
