Trio
Loco | Jass
Soluna Records
Reviewed
by Peter Aaron
Trio
Loco is, pun very much intended, the Cream of the Hudson Valley’s
rich jazz scene: a veritable supergroup that unites the diverse
talents of guitarist Mark Dziuba, percussionist Dean Sharp, and
omnipresent hipster Studio Stu on vocals and his (literally) patented
Studivarius single-string electric bass. Jass, the band’s
first release since 2001’s self-titled live debut, sees the
improvisational conversation hit an even higher peak. While Jass
does contain its share of hep originals, Trio Loco’s specialty
lies in the band’s always riveting roundtable vibe, in the
way the players deconstruct seemingly exhausted standards like “Fever,”
“Epistrophy,” and “Night and Day” by kicking
around their solo turns like a coven of crazy lab-coated chemists.
Maybe the most surpri si ng—even charming—representation
of this is the Johnny Mercer tune “I’m An Old Cowhand,”
in which the trio builds and builds upon Sonny Rollins’s interpretation
of the faux-cowboy classic, Sharp’s brushed cymbals and tinkling
bells coaxing the rhythm along and injecting the piece with buckets
of loose and slinky swing.
But these three madmen aren’t afraid to step outside the well
of inspiration that is proven jazz standards or the Great American
Songbook. Dziuba’s driving “Mobile Infirmary”
has a rock-ish feel, its hooky but complex changes reminiscent of
some TV doctor or cop show theme (hence the title?). And on the
mainly improvised “Mr. PZ” and “oddNormal”
the group goes even furtherout—to great effect.
Want to give your review on this CD?
Visit Roll's Forum.
|
