Eva Novoa: Novoa / Gress / Gray Trio, Vol. 1

A vivid sense of drama and its intrinsic, minute shadings of light upon dark places animate pianistEva Novoa's work. Barcelona bred and keening with Brooklyn bravura, Novoa swaps the fore and backgrounds with uncompromised glee. Expressionistic, Impressionistic, and forthright, she aligns and upsets the edges to her liking. That, along with the crackling, crosstown chi of bassist/modular synthesist ((Drew Gress}} and drummer Devin Gray makes music like "Miss Celebrity," "Sushi at 6," in fact the whole of Novoa/Gress/Gray Trio, Vol. 1 a distinctly engaging and fascinating listen.

Dense yet transparent, Novoa, who has brought her enharmonics to a host of diverse names, among them being Gerald Cleaver, Satoshi Takeishi, Daniel Carter, and Ingrid Laubrock flourishes on sure footed "Indigo Blue." The track—a neo-trad throwback to piano trios everywhere—has its quirky sidesteps. Lacing in and around Gress and Gray's elastic Olympics, Novoa's innate melodic sense bares itself and sails.

"Piano Man" is another mindset completely. Pursued by Gress's electric gale, Novoa, (who at her moments echoes the quiet classicism of Marilyn Crispell) wrestles herself and wins by any way possible. "Lapsus" takes it from there: a pure, full bore post-bop session, the track swings to high heaven like a previously unheard jam by McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones.

"The Drama of the Stolen Bouquet" is the soundtrack to the title so no more be said but, like a tremor though bedrock, it tells its own sure story. "Miss Celebrity" and "Sushi at 6" finds the trio having themselves a couple of Thelonious Monk style dust ups and loving every moment of them. "Indigo Blue take 2" may casually namecheck Novoa/Gress/Gray Trio, Vol. 1's opening track but take two is an entirely different analogy. Restless but laser focused, it moves without sorrow. At least for now.

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