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Samo Salamon Bassless Trio: Unity
By"Asking for a Break" opens the set with an Ornette Coleman-influenced swing feel. Hollenbeck shows what a great match he is for the format, beginning the tune on brushes, and ending it with a drum solo under a vampbubbling with energy and creativity all the while. Salamon contributed all of the compositions, as he always does, but he is also building a repertoire: this is the first of several tunes that he has recorded before. It was also on the recent Little River, as well as Duality. The band can also go into more abstract territory: "Kei's Venice" features an extended sax/drum duetArgüelles really burns on this onethen ends with a textural section. "Soundgarden" (possibly a tribute to the seminal grunge band?) ushers in the dramatic sound of Salamon's overdriven guitaranother burning duet with Hollenbeckand ends with a driving ostinato. "Holla Back" is the ballad of the set, but even it ends with a brief contrasting coda.
"Moonless" and "Seagulls in Maine" are two more reprises from earlier recordings. Then "Drop the D" goes right for the heavy metal sound implied by the title, although it doesn't stay there for the entire nine minutes. "Pif" (the briefest track at a little over two minutes) is another start and stop theme echoing Ornette Coleman. I can definitely see it being explored at greater length on a future recording. The closer "Kei's Secret" must qualify as a Greatest Hit: this is its fourth recording since the album Kei's Secret (Splasch Records, 2006).
Every Samo Salamon album goes into at least some new territory, unified by his distinctive guitar playing and composing. This one upholds that standard: another trio worth revisiting.
Track Listing
Asking For a Break; Dawn; Kei's Venice; Holla Back; Soundgarden; Moonless; Seagulls In Maine; Drop the D; Pif; Kei's Secret.
Personnel
Julian Argüelles: tenor & soprano sax; Samo Salamon: guitar; John Hollenbeck: drums.
Album information
Title: Unity | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Samo Records
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