Main drift
A euphony in all scrutiny
The natural resonances of piano, double bass and drums inhabit the spaces the Three Visitors compositions map out and make their own to become as appealingly gauzy as the clingiest of gossamer.
Tunes are originals. You feel you somehow know them even when you don’t. They are like tone poems.
It’s a piano trio. But that’s not the first thing you think here given that the approach is more cinematic than usual with a piano trio. It isn’t a period drama, though! And there isn’t the familiar furniture of the Great American Songbook or nods in that direction anywhere.
Indeed the first thing to acknowledge rather than the format or shape of the group is the quality of the pieces.
Cast your minds back
That does not mean a cop out or twee smoothness. Far from it. There’s room for the themes and the holes between the notes to linger in the air. It’s as if someone is asking what’s so wrong about peace, love and understanding.
SF Collective player Edward Simon
In a way we are in the waiting room and don’t mind if there isn’t a resolution musical or otherwise to what we are hearing. It’s unlikely not living in the States and only visiting occasionally that I’ll ever hear this trio live. So I cherish listening here and to the earlier album plus live footage found online.
Simon, 55, who was born in Venezuela moved to the United States when he was young and after studies in Philadelphia and New York played in the 1980s with Bobby Watson debuting as a leader in 1994 with Beauty Within. Albums in the noughties included Venezuelan Suite a decade ago and in a similar vein Latin American Songbook a few years later. He is also identified with the all star SF Jazz Collective – listen to ‘8’ 46”’ for instance from New Works: Reflecting The Moment and comping magnificently to the voice of Martin Luther McCoy on the deeply stirring account of the black American anthem ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ issued two years ago.
Colley is masterly on ‘The Thicket’
Colley, who turns 61 later this month, best heard on ‘The Thicket’ here, hails from Los Angeles and studied with bassist Monty Budwig (the Vince Guaraldi player who was on Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus) when young and later Charlie Haden. Colley toured with Carmen McRae in the 80s and in the 1990s Jim Hall and Sco.
The bassist began making his own records in the 1990s and more recent work includes the well regarded Still Dreaming which is worth listening to again right now. Blade was on it as was the much missed Frisellian Ron Miles (1963-2022) and sax icon Joshua Redman.
Three Visitors builds on firm foundations
Blade is one of the world’s great jazz drummers renowned for his work with Wayne Shorter and Wolfgang Muthspiel. The Louisianian needs little introduction to marlbank readers. His Fellowship band recording Kings Highway was our top rated album last year after all you may recall.
All roads lead to the title track
In some ways all roads on this very fine stoutly everyman meaning ungeneric contemporary sounding album lead to the Colley title track. Certainly you get Simon’s most definitive solo statement and a real grandeur to the tune partly created by the roiling drum swirls from Blade.
If hooked circle back to Steel House
The ”Pottering about” passages provoke thoughts of Quartet West
Tenor great Chris Potter guests on the iridescent ‘You Are’ and singer Becca Stevens also appears late on in the album on the moodily noir piece ‘I Wanna Be with You,’ a song she co-wrote with Simon. In the Potter passages I started thinking of the thrill of hearing Ernie Watts in Quartet West one time down at the Cork Jazz Festival a bit oh was it 2010? These Steel House residents and house guests knock on that door and who wouldn’t let all in?
Percussionist Rogério Boccato known for his work with Maria Schneider and with Kenny Garrett on Beyond the Wall is also a contributor. Find solace in the art of what’s here. Jazz will endure. It’s more important after all than the smoke and mirrors of mass hypnosis, spin and manipulation of the world beyond.
Thursday marlbank playlist
The 10 tracks that we can’t get enough of right now.
Is it about a bicycle? (Flann O’Brien)
The latest weekly pith perfect podcast is also available.
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