Daniel Carter / William Parker / Federico Ughi: The Dream

That's right, Daniel Carter plays piano on this date! It's the first thing you hear as this disc kicks immediately into definite but mature overdrive. It's a blast to hear William Parker, the bassist for Cecil Taylor's much-lauded Feel Trio, free-walking under Carter's percussive attacks, certainly indebted to Taylor but even more pointillistic. "Zero Softly is a spare minimalist musing where notes hang in the air like galaxies only to fade beneath Federico Ughi's carpet of brushwork. Indeed, many of the tracks fade in and out, more like dreams with uncertain conclusions, if they exist at all.

The program is astonishing in its breadth and scope, and this trio keeps each track fresh throughout with sudden instrumental switches. Check out the way the proto-swing of "Notorious suddenly slows down as Parker jumps from bass to tuba, sliding effortlessly into the dialogue.

The group interaction is fantastic throughout The Dream, without a weak combination. It's especially nice to hear Ughi in a more traditional context, combining the timbral savvy of Tony Oxley with the controlled power of Rashied Ali. The assumption is that the pieces were taken from larger improvisations and word is that there will be a second volume issued from this session. If it is equally well edited and programmed, it will certainly be worth the wait.

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