Seven tracks that feel, certainly from a composition point of view, in their entirety like a first draft. As for the interplay again it is far from ideal, the beginning of a journey only and not an arrival.
Kenny Warren, the trumpeter in this trio that he also leads, recording in Brooklyn last year, dominates too much and you feel a huge personality here but one that certainly needs a foil. Double bassist Matthias Pichler, managing to get a word in just about edgeways with his gutsy intro on both 'My Moments Subtle' and 'One Room in My Mind', and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell seem to be too much in awe of him although they seem decent enough players. Warren's style (sort of a brassier Ralph Alessi, even Tomasz Stańko in some of the rawer passages) is at its most interesting in the more open obviously free-improv explorations. I get the nagging feeling, and yet shouldn't, but because the recipe of all the available ingredients is not quite right, of the need for a piano or guitar to add to the group sound. SG
Out now on Whirlwind. Rating: three stars. Photo of Kenny Warren: via Bandcamp.
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