Jazz Articles about Trio East

Trio East: Stop-Start

by Brian P. Lonergan
May 29, 2005

Trio East's excellent album Stop-Start opens with a fiery burst of trumpet and drums, establishing an energy that remains even when the trio downshifts into more laid-back tempos. The trumpet motif of the opening track, “Tray-Bo, essentially a wailing minor third, drives the piece forward and lodges the tune in your head long after the album is over. The members of Trio East--trumpeter Clay Jenkins, bassist Jeff Campbell, and drummer Rich Thompson--are all members of the jazz ...

Trio East: Stop-Start

by Jerry D'Souza
May 3, 2005

In a lineup with trumpet, bass, and drums, the man with the horn is left, right, and center. He is the one who has to lead and carry the trio, though the others play their part in fashioning and completing their mission. Clay Jenkins succeeds in doing this, though there are occasions when the arrangements and some unusual notes hamper the resolve.

The two John Coltrane compositions work well in the contrasting shadows they cast. On “26-2" they ...

Trio East: Stop-Start

by Dennis Hollingsworth
April 2, 2005

Trio East may be a new name to the general jazz population, but with efforts such as Stop-Start, that is about to change. Rich Thompson, Clay Jenkins, and Jeff Campbell all teach at the Eastman School of Music, in addition to performing with musicians like Harold Danko, James Williams, Gene Bertoncini, and Kim Richmond. Each brings a singular skill and presence to the recording.

How do you play music that is harmonically rooted and founded on traditional forms ...