Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Mesmerism

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Tyshawn Sorey is an idiosyncratic and restless explorer. An accomplished percussionist, he is known for blurring, if not completely erasing, the boundaries between the pre-written and the improvised. This has led him to work in a modern, Western Classical, idiom, albeit one rooted in the jazz tradition. After conducting the twenty-piece Alarm Will Sound on his critically acclaimed For George Lewis / Autoschediasms (2021, Cantaloupe Music), Sorey returns to the piano trio format on the accessible yet captivating Mesmerism.

A collection mostly of lesser-known standards, Mesmerism is an exercise in economy and lyricism. For instance, pianist Muhal Richard Abrams's "Two Over One" opens with effervescent vamps. Pianist Aaron Diehl improvises with grace and agility, underscoring the main theme with subtle flourishes. Within and around this tender tune, Sorey weaves a dynamic and crystalline rhythmic frame. Bassist Matt Brewer takes center stage with elegant poetry and, together with his bandmates, creates a warm and inviting atmosphere..

Guitarist Herb Ellis's "Detour Ahead" opens with Diehl's sparse notes echoing within the dramatic ambience. The performance progresses at an unhurried pace with melancholy and nostalgia. Brewer's contemplative solo is buoyed by Sorey's rustling beats and Diehl's resonant chords. Seamlessly, Diehl takes center stage with an angular and darkly-hued extemporization which flows with finesse and is spiced up with bluesy hints. Sorey's understated polyrhythms propel the track to its soulful conclusion.

Drummer Paul Motian's enchanting "From Time to Time" gets a unique treatment. The band starts off with a fully deconstructed version of the original. It then, gradually, fragment by fragment, puts it together, endowing it with a singularly personal touch. An ethereal mysticism permeates the song until the final coalescence of its elements into Motian's melodic composition.

This is Sorey's thirteenth release under his name and it is a mature statement about musical innovation. Here are seven "mainstream" pieces which Sorey and his colleagues respectfully unfold, demonstrating the ingenuity within each one. In a way they underscore the need to go beyond labels and embrace creative music, no matter what the format.