Nils Wogram Nostalgia: Things We Like to Hear

On Things We Like To Hear, trombonist Nils Wogram and his bassless trio Nostalgia explore a kind of Miles Davis cool to hot fusion. Wogram provides an expressive center to the outing, his playing running from bluesy drawls to punchy explosiveness while focused on the themes and range of rhythms found in the compositions.

Nothing quite stretches the playing on the album as much as "Rich People In a Bad Mood." Wogram puts a bit of bite into his work atop Dejan Terzic's all over controlled drumming. Anchored by a repetitive eight-note riff, he elicits howls and growls from the trombone, and fires off rapid volleys of notes. Organist Arno Krijger lets it rip as well, and there is a flashing neon to the atmospherics, an intensity which suggests fireworks against a night sky.

"Superfood" runs from funk to a more assertive exploration. Exhibiting considerable trap set technique, Terzic's playing suggests an intense and dramatic urban rush, not unlike speeding down some city thoroughfare at night, while Wogram and Krijger open up as the intensity increases. A similar up-tempo feeling is heard in "Plants Can't Wait," a song which showcases Krijger's loosey-goosey style of speedy organ fingerings.

On "Quality Is Our Responsibility," Wogram offers a New Orleans drawl over the 6/8 time signature, and his performance stretches from a stuttering staccato to a slurring flow of notes. On "Possibilities Gain Desire," Terzic's tight syncopated rhythm and Krijger's discordant notes prove the trio is not beyond traversing a wilder side.

Wogram and company use an array of rhythms and moods on Things We Like To Hear which keeps things fresh and moving in ways that both delight and confront. While reaching back to the heyday of fusion for its inspiration, Wogram and Nostalgia's adept use of modern musical elements ensure an up-to-date listening adventure.

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