Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jimmy Giuffre: The Life of a Trio: Saturday & Sunday

386

Jimmy Giuffre: The Life of a Trio: Saturday & Sunday

By

Sign in to view read count
Jimmy Giuffre: The Life of a Trio: Saturday & Sunday
Jimmy Giuffre made waves in 1961-62 with the release of Fusion (Verve, 1961), Thesis (Verve, 1961) and Free Fall (Columbia, 1962). With pianist Paul Bley and a 20-year-old Steve Swallow on upright bass, the Third Stream innovator created the best music of his career—telepathic performances that continue to astound and inspire more than four decades later. As with so many great things however, the trio was short lived—it would be thirty years before group that quietly rocked the jazz scene reunited.

The Life of a Trio: Saturday & Sunday documents the long-awaited 1989 reunion of Giuffre's remarkable group. Older, wiser and still stunningly in tune with each other, the threesome take up where they left off and the resulting double-disc of music is every bit as riveting as the original. Giuffre is playful yet reflective on "Black Ivory, the tones of his clarinet resonating over Bley's sweeping chords and strummed strings; out of a jaunting counterpoint his horn softly trills over a pulsing pedal from Bley, glissing to a bell-like high as the piano drops out: assured but vulnerable.

Both Bley and Swallow make remarkable contributions throughout the two sessions, pushing Giuffre into exciting territory before embarking on unaccompanied solos. "December is a doleful vehicle for Swallow's electric bass and the reflective mood he sets permeates the solo improvisations of Giuffre and Bley that follow. Sounding at times like a guitar, Swallow's playing is impeccable—virtuosic yet restrained.

Through all the solo and duo playing it's still, not surprisingly, the trio work that shines. Giuffre's soprano cuts through the dissonant cloud evoked by Bley and Swallow on "Sensing, meditating on a melodic fragment, soaring to the upper register before falling into lockstep with the piano and bass. The three make it clear that the life of a trio continues after the initial dispersion of its parts and that something great can always come of bringing together such like-minded souls.

Track Listing

Saturday: Clarinet Zone; Black Ivory; Owl Eyes; Endless Melody; Turns; Foreplay; We Agree; Clusters; December; Someone; Even Steven; By The Way. Sunday: Sensing; Monique; The Giant Guitar And The Black Stick; Industrial Suite; Sanctuary Much; Tango Del Mar; The Hidden Voice; Mephisto; Where Were We?; Sweet Song; Scrambled Legs; Play Ball; Fallen Statue; Things; Two Singers; The Life Of A Trio.

Personnel

Jimmy Giuffre
clarinet

Jimmy Giuffre: clarinet, soprano saxophone; Paul Bley: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass.

Album information

Title: The Life of a Trio: Saturday & Sunday | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Unknown label

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.