Alister Spence Trio: Gather

Alister Spence Trio's Gather arrives like a mischievous breeze, stirring the leaves of modern jazz with a blend of precision and playful abandon. This Australian ensemble—Alister Spence on piano, Lloyd Swanton on double bass, and Toby Hall on drums—delivers an album that feels like a conversation among old friends who happen to be virtuosos. The eight tracks weave a tapestry of intricate melodies, rhythmic surprises and moments of quiet introspection, each piece a small universe unto itself.

Spence's pianism anchors the album, his fingers dancing between crystalline runs and brooding chords. On the opening track "Scatter," his concise melody-infused chord voicings are accompanied by Swanton's resonant bass lines, which pulse with earthy warmth. Hall's drumming is a masterclass in restraint and explosion, knowing exactly when to whisper with brushes or crack the snare like a whip. Spence opens it up during the bridge with resonating lines, trickling upper-register voicings and free-form jabs that feel like inspired afterthoughts.

The trio's chemistry shines brightly on "Crossed Over," where the pianist's hypnotic groove builds into a storm of syncopated fury and spunky improvisational segments. Spence digs in with trance-like block chords atop the drummer's snappy rim shots. It is as if they are saying, "Sorry for the ruckus, but was that not fun?" The answer, judging by the infectious energy, is a resounding yes. On the flip side, "Beginning of the End of the Beginning" is stoic and calming.

"Falling from the Top of the Sky" is launched by the drummer's asymmetrical patterns, which evoke a twilight reunion of souls as the band drifts into a medium-tempo jazz groove, marked with accents and subtle micro-motifs. Swanton takes the spotlight towards the closeout as the band coalesces into a forward-moving, lighthearted romp, where Spence rehashes the understated melody towards the end with mission-accomplished-like implications.

Yet the album is not without its quirks. The final track, "Antidote for Lean Times," features a jazz funk groove with irregular phrasings and a structure that deviates from traditional patterns.

Gather is not jazz for those craving predictable standards. It demands active listening, rewarding those who lean in with its wit and warmth. The Alister Spence Trio sparkles with invention, proving that in the right hands, three instruments are more than enough to fill a room with wonder.