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Chris Crocco: The Chris Crocco Trio +
ByCrocco and company don't have a set stylistic agenda, and each track has distinctive qualities that set it apart from the rest. Plaintive balladrywith the disarming Garzone gliding on an aural featherbedshows up a few tracks into the program with "Silvia," but Crocco starts thing off in a more excited state. "Avenge" is a no-holds-barred burner that begins with an etude-like saxophone-guitar line, but the soloing proves to be of greater interest. "Heaven" follows, built on a slow, strolling swing with Mela and Crocco trading fours toward the end.
Despite plenty on which to chew with all three of these tracks, the real magic begins with "When It Is When," introduced by a pulsing pattern and a unique, funky and immediately present exoticism. Crocco delivers some intriguing, Middle Eastern-tinged guitar lines, while the drumming is beyond category. Mela is magnificent, whether conjuring uniquely trashy cymbal sounds or delivering mind-boggling, heart-pounding solo work over a vamp. Similar fireworks are present on "Metal"a guitar-drum duo creation which features some of Crocco's most devilish playing, as both men deliver mercurial, magical musical performances.
"Trial of Time" is the album's most straightforward jazz vehicle, turned to solid gold with Garzone's performance, but Crocco proves to be more than capable when the saxophonistand, for that matter, the rest of the musiciansis removed from the equation. The penultimate performance on this album begins with a minute-long guitar introduction, and Crocco is all class. When the rest of the trio joins him, "My Own Personal Wake" turns into a slow, country-influenced number in the vein of Bill Frisell. Crocco turns toward a more introspective sound, leaning toward Appalachian Americana crossed with Irish balladry, on the exquisitely beautiful "My Peace," which pairs him up with Slavov and closes the album. No single word can classify each of these songs, but every performance is fluid in every sense of the word.
Track Listing
Avenge; Heaven; Silvia; When It Is When; Trial Of Time; What It Is; Spice Mine; Metal; My Own Personal Wake; My Peace.
Personnel
Chris Crocco
guitarChris Crocco: guitar; Peter Slavov: bass; Francisco Mela: drums; George Garzone: tenor saxophone (1, 3, 5).
Album information
Title: The Chris Crocco Trio + | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Self Produced
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