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Adam Nolan Trio: Prim and Primal
ByMullan has clearly listened to a Tony Williams record or twelve and perhaps at least eleven by Elvin Jones. Ron Carter has made an indelible impression on Whyte. They pay homage to the greats, but it is much more than that. Mullan and Whyte both expand on that significant early 1960s sound, as well as moving it forward with modern edges. It's almost unfathomable that the trio had never recorded together before. Certainly the Irish trio had spent time in the studio improvising and feeling each other's chops. In fact, the record has a three o'clock in the morning after everyone else had gone home vibe. Well into it, well focused, no disturbances, just feeling it, jamming, and improvising and then feeling it, jamming, and improvising some more.
It's more difficult to target the biggest influences on Nolan. They may be from outer space, as few earthlings have that kind of lung capacity. What he does musically inside those long winded furloughs is as remarkable as his open minded and creative note selections. All on the fly, improvisational, and indeed primal. Nolan reaches down into a guttural level that is somewhere between mind blowing and magnificent. He gets responses from his bandmates that at times have interplay logic or reactive quality. Just as often the return is starting up their own elements, adding them to the mix, and giving Nolan something else to play with, respond to, or not. The next note, the next exchange, is never obvious.
Nolan, in truth, has sound bites of a few legends. That list might include Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Sam Rivers, Phil Woods and Jackie McLean. But make no mistake, he is very original, and has his own unique tonality. Spontaneous, in the moment, exciting, and surely original, the Adam Nolan Trio brings freshness and a bold approach to the jazz world. A free jazzer's delight, it's all together possible that the jazz listener who digs deft improvisation may get even more out of this record.
Track Listing
Expand the Tempo; The Modern Jazz Trio; Latin Jazz?; Ancient Mayan Jungle; The Magic Carpet; Kung Fu Master Vs The Ape (in a smoking area).
Personnel
Album information
Title: Prim and Primal | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Self Produced
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Adam Nolan
Album Review
Jim Worsley
Prim and Primal
Self Produced
Adam Nolan
Derek Whyte
Dominic Mullan
Tony Williams
Elvin Jones
Ron Carter
Ornette Coleman
Eric Dolphy
Sam Rivers
Phil Woods
Jackie McClean