Ellery Eskelin's trio with Andrea Parkins and Jim Black has a unique and singular sound. Their sound is unlike that of any other working group in improvised music. Non traditional instrumental combinations are not uncommon in this genre, especially in more avant circles. Even the accordion - Parkins' main instrument in this trio - isn't unusual for mainstream or more freestyle jazz. From Richad Galliano, to Will Holshouser, to Evelyn Patrova, this much maligned instrument is getting its due. What happens with Parkins' electrified squeezebox is unlike anything else, though.
I'm always up for anything out of the ordinary, and I was immediately attracted to this trio when it started up in the mid '90s. Tenor sax, accordion + electronics, and drums will do the trick for me anytime. At times, Eskelin's trio can sound like an update on the tenor, organ, drums combination, with Parkins' electronic keyboards or accordion approximating the sound of the Hamond B3. That's where the comparisons end, however. Through years of working together, these three have developed a musical signature that, while it borrows from prog-rock, free-improvosation, eai, European classical music, and Bebop, cannot be classified.
This new recoding is from a concert held at Towson State University in Baltimore, Maryland on December 9, 2007. Eskelin is from Mobtown and received a degree in music at Towson, so this gig - coming at the tail end of a European tour - may have been a homecoming of sorts. I had the good fortune to be at the performance, and this recording is a great example of what this band is about.
It contains one new tune, "The Decider", the rest are from the previous recordings "Arcanum Moderne" and "Quiet Music." The tracks "Split the Difference" and "Instant Counterpoint", both from "Quiet Music", serve as excellent examples of this group's approach. "Split the Difference" starts out almost sounding like a traditional Jazz tune, with Eskelin and Parkins playing the theme and Black's swinging drums propelling things along. Eskelin plays one of his more inside solos, the theme returns and they quickly go off - Ellery solo, then a drum break, followed by and interesting dialog between Black, with Parkins adding a few comments here and there, all leading to a Black solo ending the tune. All through this, they never loose the thread of the original theme. Black may be one of the most gifted drummers around today, and he magically pulls all this together. "Instant Counterpoint" is based around a contrapuntal theme that's returned to over and over again. Between statements of the theme the musicians explore the various textures and colors that define this group's sound. Deep, almost subsonic, bass tones emerge from Parkins' accordion that, with a good subwoofer, will shake the floor a bit. Ellery's tenor playing on this is revelatory - out in the edge, but like other great players, he keeps it focused and on target, and with his cohorts, explores the dynamics to be discovered in the piece.
I'd recommend any of this group's recordings, but this one may be the best so far. Ellery will be happy to sell you a copy, so check out his Website. He also has titles from his back catalog available as well. Dive in and check this band out.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment