The Mark Kleinhaut Trio: Holding the Center (2006)

Jerry D'Souza

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2001

From Bombay, India to Indianapolis, Indiana via Toronto!

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Published: May 20, 2006

The Mark Kleinhaut Trio: Holding the Center

Mark Kleinhaut is back with longtime bandmates Jim Lyden (bass) and Les Harris, Jr. (drums), extending the parameters with excursions into electronica, rock and Latin music. The results on Holding the Center are emphatically convincing.

Kleinhaut has a full-bodied, well-rounded tone. His guitar is an eloquent messenger, filled with melody, bounce, swing and looping patterns that are fed through a Boss looper and GT-6 processor. He uses them on "Holding the Center. The initial impact, however, comes from the bowed bass of Lyden. Kleinhaut extends the measured pace, and then ups the tempo as he gets into a swinging groove that he colors with emphatic accents. The results are most palatable. The loop also comes into play on the funky, grabbing tune "Erika's 8:30 Rule, where Andrew Zachary provides turntable samples and adds some scratching.

Would mainstream jazz be the "Logical Extension ? Kleinhaut is in prime form on this piece, again opening the gate to swing lithely, shaping the changes through linear development and a quick flurry of notes. Kleinhaut gets a remarkably open sound from the nylon-string acoustic guitar on "Sister Cuba" as he develops the attractive tune imaginatively in tandem with his band. The best moments come when they capture the essence and the mood quietens for a soft conversation with Harris.

Track Listing: Intro to Sister Cuba; Sister Cuba; Baby R; Holding the Center; Holiday; Forgotten Song; Erika�s 8:30 Rule; Logical Extension; Shells on Ancon Beach; Green T; Passing Bird; Gospel of B; Rock & Sand.

Personnel: Mark Kleinhaut: guitar; Jim Lyden: bass; Les Harris, Jr.: drums.

Record Label: Invisible Music Records
Style: Modern Jazz