Trio WUH: Live at Jazzinec

The first time Skip Wilkins Frantisek Uhlir and Jaromir Helešic played together was in January 2012. The following day they got the opportunity of playing at Birdland Neuborg on the Danube. they hit it off and by the time this recording was made in February 2013, they had performed together over 40 times.

The trio brings in a mix of standards and originals setting off with "The Second Time Around." Wilkins lets the melody ebb and flow before he gets into its depth playing with an effervescence that never loses the lyrical thread. Uhliř and Helešic add a thunderous rhythmic bottom, before the former sets out into a rumbling head-on realm that casts the opening for Helešic with Wilkins shifting gears with melodic insertions. The heartfelt beauty of "Song For Jane" is unveiled on the arco. Uhliř, who also composed the tune, finds the sweet spot with his haunting approach. His sensitivity elevates the mood, and with Wilkins and Helešic tempering the movement with their own eloquence, this is a top-notch offering. Wilson's "Take the Fourth" is full of delightful surprises. The pianist swings, his notes agile and melodic. The bass tangents into freer mode, as Uhliř bows into the groove and comes up with shifting patterns. It's an adjunct that boldly cozies up to the main drive. This gig set in motion the future of WUH as a trio.

The common thread they found, the seamless communication and the inherent chemistry that lifts their music to a high level can only lead to the fountain of revelation for a host of listeners.

Comments