Zack Lober: NO FILL3R

Bassist Zack Lober has been part of the worlds of jazz and musical improvisation for some time but this is his debut as a leader, heading a frisky trio which also includes trumpet and drums.

This album was recorded in the Netherlands and has Lober playing with trumpeter Suzan Veneman and drummer Sun-Mi Hong. The three combine for a tight, compact sound which is most immediately striking when Veneman's trumpet drifts melodically over the undulating rhythms laid down by Lober and Hong, as on "Force Majeure" and "Luck (Alice)." Other tracks are looser and more exploratory; "Mid Music" is a perky little shuffle in the manner of early Ornette Coleman where Veneman and Hong dance around with jolly fire. "A Hymn" and "No Fill3r" come from two poles of free improvisation. The first has eloquent individual statements which combine into a striking group sound, while the second is fast and agitated with rapid-fire cymbal work underlining throbbing bass and pealing trumpet.

Lober's heavy bass tone is always a steady presence on the album but he has a larger presence on some tracks. On "Blues" he takes the lead and solos against Veneman's acrobatic scale climbing; on "Chop Wood" he makes a solid buffer against the heavy trumpet moans and stormy drumming of his partners. Sun Mi-Hong is an engaged and creative drummer. Susan Veneman's trumpet work is striking throughout the album; she sounds fiery and declarative in most places but also comes off hauntingly subdued in her brief solo piece, "Loved Ones."

The three members of this group work really well together. Lober and Hong dance expertly around each other whether laying down a cohesive rhythm or striking up an improvised conversation. Veneman, for her part, sounds consistently cool and melodic with an occasional flash of the impish flair of Don Cherry. Together the trio makes music which is deceptively intense and seductive.