Ido Bukelman Trio: City Tail

Bukelman is first of all a melodist and knows how to tell a story. He is also a highly collaborative player that doesn't always seek the leading role, quite often opting for a supportive one more aimed at closer interplay with his trio mates. The four well-realized, cinematic compositions, "Seagull shore," "Rose scar," "Closed room" and the most beautiful one, "Half-time city," all have suggestive breezy themes that clearly reference the overt melodicism of Pat Metheny, but still flow with originality. They develop patiently, gaining power and volition while leaving enough space for trusting interplay—mainly with Hakimi, who anchors the material with assurance and articulation, as well as with Shlomo's solid timekeeping.

The two compositions dedicated to Coleman—"Ornette" and "Ornette's tail"—lack the necessary harmolidic rhythmic playfulness. Still, Bukelman still stands out by trying to add his own personal stamp with guitar-based harmolodics, especially on the free-form "Ornette's tail," but still in line with Metheny's notable collaboration with Coleman on Song X (Geffen, 1985). Other tracks including "I need a song," demonstrate Bukelman's strong technical capabilities, but fail to leave lasting impressions.

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