Julian Shore: Sub Rosa

Julian Shore's recording, Sub Rosa, features the pianist alongside his longstanding collaborators, bassist Martin Nevin and drummer Allan Mednard. More than just a collection of tunes, the album captures over two years of shared exploration, the group's exceptional empathy and fluidity. The trio demonstrates a remarkable ability to spontaneously reshape material, highlighting the strong camaraderie underpinning their sound.

Shore's compositions form the foundation of much of the album, with each piece reflecting episodes of personal experience that are then transformed into collective expression. There are also several covers ranging from Brian Wilson to Duke Ellington to Wayne Shorter, where Shore and his band reimagine familiar works with sensitivity and originality, illustrating their versatility as interpreters.

The opening track, "Messenger," sets the tone with a thoughtful, almost declarative introduction from Shore, answered in kind by Nevin's grounding bass and Mednard's steady percussion. The trio exchanges ideas, building momentum without ever losing clarity. "Mission" follows with an insistent pulse, as Shore weaves elegant, searching lines. The trio leans into the piece's forward motion, creating an undercurrent of drive that suggests purpose and determination. The evocatively titled "Must Keep Going" captures the resiliency of the trio. The interplay intensifies, evoking the very act of moving forward despite resistance. The trio elevates the piece into a declaration of collective perseverance.

Three covers are grouped, starting with Ellington's "Blues In Blueprint" receiving a respectful yet modern reading. Shore approaches the number with a subtle sense of humour, with Mednard providing support with a light swing touch. Nevin offers an extended solo filled with blues phrasing, adding to an in-the-moment feel to the interpretation. The Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein well-worn standard "All The Things You Are" is far from a perfunctory addition. Shore reimagines its familiar harmonies with inventive reharmonizations, while Nevin and Mednard engage in an interplay that pushes the interpretation into unexpected directions, confirming the trio's philosophy of renewal through tradition. The Beach Boys' Wilson wrote "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulders), which Shore renders with deep sensitivity, uncovering the harmonic richness of the composition while allowing space for nuance. Nevin's supportive lines and Mednard's whispering brushwork provide a counterbalance to Shore's fragile lyricism, creating a lingering performance.

The closer is Wayne Shorter's "Pegasus," which is deftly handled in this brief excerpt with Shore embracing its harmonic complexity and giving it a luminous edge, as Nevin and Mednard navigate Shorter's shifting terrain with ease. The album presents a modern piano trio statement, layered with meaning and subtle invention.

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