Samson Trinh: Very Strange Night

The one thing Trinh hasn't learned (but probably will) is that one should always include more than 35 minutes of music on a CD if he wishes to earn a complimentary review. Be that is it may, the music that is presented is certainly interesting, even though its jazz components are often peripheral. Trinh wrote the music and lyrics for every number save the standard "Time After Time, which he orchestrated for the Upper East Side ensemble. The vocals—two by Terri Murphy, one each by Adrian Duke and Jackie Frost—are no better than ordinary, with a country/Hawaiian veneer on Frost's "Thank Goodness and nice work at the Hammond B-3 by Duke on "Signs Are Full of Jive. The lyrics are printed in the booklet, but that's not much help, as they are by and large inscrutable.

Trumpeter Rex Richardson, one of Chicago's finest, and pianist Laura Candler-White are paired on the curious "Piece for Trumpet and Piano, which runs for all of 25 seconds. The Upper East Side band is also featured on "Very Strange Night (with Richardson on trumpet?) and "Jive, the Lounge Union Orchestra (backing Murphy's vocal) on "To You, Near You, With You.

In the end, it's hard to know what to make of this "very strange mixture. Trinh is obviously an able musician, but one who seems not to have found an explicit point of view. There are some pleasant moments in this Strange Night, but not enough to assuage the listener until daybreak. And one mustn't overlook the album's modest 35 minute playing time.

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