Neil Cowley Trio: Entity

British pianist Neil Cowley put his trio on hold in 2017 to go solo. Entity marks the return of the group, which is completed by bassist Rex Horan and drummer Evan Jenkins. This is their eighth album since 2006, and the fourth with Horan in the lineup (Jenkins has been present from the start). The press materials accompanying the album include a statement from Cowley about the need for "human push back" against the potentially malign aspects of digital technology, and words about the value of friendship, not least among collaborating musicians. All good stuff.

Critical reaction to Entity has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. "Triumphant," "exquisite," "a masterpiece" and "a must" are a representative selection of soundbites. One particularly excited reviewer described the album as "impassioned with a delicate beauty that seems to breathe with every aspect of what it is to be human." Some writers have lauded what one called music "varied in colour and character," while another, contrariwise, rejoiced in the album's "singularity of mood."

Out of all the above, "singularity of mood" is the only one that hits the spot. Other listeners might prefer "monotone." They might feel that the music has the harmonic sophistication of a nursery rhyme and the rhythmic excitement of a metronome. They might say that, as with the most banal folk tunes (the musical equivalents of predictive text), they always know what is coming a bar or two before it lands.

Most tellingly of all, they might say that instead of being impassioned with a delicate beauty that seems to breathe with every aspect of what it is to be human, Entity sounds like something generated by AI, not by the human creativity it is said to champion. Check the YouTube below and decide for yourself.

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