Dialogues Trio with Julian Siegel: Twinkle Twinkle

The UK-based Dialogues Trio was formed in 2005 and is led by pianist Bruno Heinen, who sports an insightful compositional pen here on the band's debut, Twinkle Twinkle. The musicians often radiate a workingman's type process, where no dillydallying or inflated soloing escapades rule the roost. Featuring reedman Julian Siegel, lending his wares on select tracks, it's an album that yields supplementary rewards on ensuing listens.

The trio blends convention with offbeat phrasings and deviations, where Heinen translucently intersperses modern classical forms into the jazz vernacular via untraditional time signatures, cool swing vamps and occasional journeys into the avant-garde spectrum. The musicians also develop fragile underpinnings and flex some muscle within various movements.

"Brigante" is a cleverly constructed piece, modeled by Heinen's ostinato chords and Siegel's contrapuntal responses, segueing to fractured pulses and playful deconstructions of the main theme. But they straddle the outside realm, especially when Siegel lashes out with angst ridden sax notes, leading to a rather ominous fadeout during the finale.

Heinen steers the group through probing balladry, Latin rhythms, and spiraling crescendos. However, one of the primary positives relates to the diverse track mix that elevates the interest level to a higher plane. The trio hops back to the free-zone on "East and Rising," amid Siegel's yearning sax parts and sobering episodes that tone down the intensity level.

Exhibiting a certain degree of untapped potential, Heinen and his associates impart a subtly stylistic demeanor by personalizing each piece, but also displaying a wealth of crafty notions along the way. The band's cunning gamesmanship equates to the possibilities of a bright future.