Revolutionary Ensemble: The Psyche

Jenkins and Sirone hold bowed while Cooper shakes bells and rattles to open “Invasion.” On drums he races, with Sirone dropping the bow and plucking after him. Jenkins takes the bait and soon all three raise a storm. Sirone brings it down for a hard rubber solo, nearly handing off to Jenkins’ viola. He creates a sublime acapella aria. A rough edit causes a duet with Cooper on piano and Sirone to abruptly commence. After their fruitful interplay, Jenkins rejoins and Cooper relights the furnace in his drum set. Their tempestuous finale keeps the 27 minute piece fresh till the end.

Sirone’s “Hu-Man” features a relatively traditional trio setting with Jenkins soulful in solo. Cooper keeps punching the edges until the riff comes apart and the Ensemble moves into new territory. Their substantial group improv never loses momentum or inspiration.

Sirone’s cool bass intro on “Collegno” becomes a framework for Jenkins and Cooper’s unisons and differences. Sirone and Cooper on piano throw lines back and forth. Jenkins plays at Sirone’s pace with color by Cooper, the string players chopping up their attack like cole slaw. Sirone goes for a bowed low long tone that grows raw.

This trio took the original release pressing of The Psyche on a tour of Europe and sold all of it. Thirty years later, through the miracle of laser technology, the second pressing is finally seeing its full American release.

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