Trichotomy, To Vanish, Earshift Music ***

The good thing about Trichotomy (né Misinterprotato) is that they know how to replicate a modernistic piano trio sound that they and others have modified since e. s. t., The Bad Plus and Neil Cowley's heyday and moved that sound forward given that …

Published: 2 Mar 2023. Updated: 28 days.

The good thing about Trichotomy (né Misinterprotato) is that they know how to replicate a modernistic piano trio sound that they and others have modified since e. s. t., The Bad Plus and Neil Cowley's heyday and moved that sound forward given that these groups are either no longer around or in the Bad Plus' case a moveable feast. Trichotomy hardly need to staple on extra chamber elements (bassoon, no less, and very piquant it is too among these this time) particularly as the trio is robust enough to do what they want to without trying to reinvent the wheel by scaling up.

Esque is more but top marks for reliability and a welcome new album from this Aussie band. Sean Foran remains an inventively florid pianist while drummer John Parker draws to mind the sound of Jon Scott (now of GoGo Penguin) given his tenaciousness and metronomic time-keeping ability. Samuel Vincent on bass comes over like Sławomir Kurkiewicz in the Marcin Wasilewski trio.

Trichotomy are touring this month beginning on album release day in Dorking on 21 March. 'Fibonacci' and 'Forward Motion' are streaming. Full tour details can be found here

  • MORE READING:

Momentary Control - 2021

Fact Finding Mission -2019

Tags: reviews

Ralph Towner, At First Light, ECM ***1/2

A cleansing exactitude is one reaction to At First Light. Another is the feeling of a craftsman at work in complete command of the classical guitar on this studio recording made in Lugano last year. Ralph Towner needs no introductions to ECM fans …

Published: 2 Mar 2023. Updated: 28 days.

Next post

A cleansing exactitude is one reaction to At First Light. Another is the feeling of a craftsman at work in complete command of the classical guitar on this studio recording made in Lugano last year.

Ralph Towner needs no introductions to ECM fans given his long tenure on the label stretching all the way back to Diary a half century ago. And while solo guitar albums aren't everyone's cup of tea - and certainly not ours - nevertheless it is hard to resist such musicianship and evergreens as eternally giving as 'Make Someone Happy' and Irish tune 'Danny Boy,' the latter doubly fitting given that the album is released this month on St Patrick's Day. The title track is one of a number of Towner originals of which the deftly chugging 'Fat Foot' exerts its siren call most of all.

'Flow,' the opening track, from At First Light is streaming. Ralph Towner photo: Caterina Di Perri/ECM

  • MORE READING:

Ralph Towner / Wolfgang Muthspiel / Slava Grigoryan's Travel Guide reviewed in 2013

Ralph Towner/John Abercrombie's Five Years Later reviewed in 2014