Brian Groder Trio: Reflexology

The cover of trumpeter Brian Groder new trio tells much about his aesthetics. He is well-versed with the compositional ideas of the great American jazz masters and their improvisation strategies—Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, including trumpeters as Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard. But in the same manner that these innovative and creative muscians marked their sonic footprint in the rich legacy of the genre, Groder not only reflects on past achievments but wants to take this genre a step forward.

Groder enjoys the company of experienced and highly versatile improvisers—double bassist Michael Bisio, who lives close to Groder, and drummer Jay Rosen. Both graced many albums of forward-thinking masters as Sam Rivers, Joe McPhee and Matthew Shipp. The compositions emerged through many meetings between Groder and Bisio, both shaping the ideas, later the two were joined by Rosen.

Groder compositions are rooted in a strong rhythmic basis, and the expansion of the fluid, game-like, intimate interplay characterizes all these pieces. Groder has a clean, warm tone, often a reserved one, and his articulation is clear, often stressing the dramatic narrative of a complex, cinematic stories. Bisio and Rosen solidify and enrich the rhythmic conception with light-swinging feel, exemplary command of their instruments, melancholic nuances and rich colors, adding surprising, imaginative elements to the tension building and release. The trio rhythmic versatility embraces also the sensual cover of Groder's mentor, JoAnne Brackeen "Haiti-B."

Simply beautiful.