Luís Vicente Trio

Veteran improvisers and those in mid-career approach the creative challenge of working with just double bass, drums and brass in fascinating and unique ways. While neither concept or execution is straight-ahead on these discs each result is equally compelling. A salute to a deceased Free Music master by three players whose vocabulary and ideas grew organically from the advances of pianist Cecil Taylor (1929-2018), 2 Blues for Cecil features Americans, drummer Andrew Cyrille and bassist William Parker, who were part of Taylor’s bands at different times, and Italian flugelhornist Enrico Rava, who was dealing with free concepts as early as the 1970s. Chanting the Name of is a  different matter. A 21^st Century interpretation of  Free Music, it involves respected Portuguese stylists: trumpeter Luís Vicente, who has recorded with Parker as well as numerous European innovators; bassist Gonçalo Almeida who has worked with Rodrigo Amado; and drummer Pedro Melo Alves, who has played with the likes of Theo Ceccaldi,

Rava, 82, whose recent playing has tended towards the soporific, appears to be rejuvenated by this configuration and turns in solos rife with low-pitched scoops, air-moving without valve pressure, restrained puffs and half-valve squeaks, all with portamento effects. At the same time all 10 tracks are held together by Parker’s fluid pulsations and Cyrille’s intermittent cymbal slaps and drum rumbles. These are free stylists who can also extract what’s necessary from the Jazz tradition. This trait is most obvious on two variants of the title tune. Clean, but funky, “Blues for Cecil No. 1” begins with woody bass slaps and drum ratamacues, with a backbeat set up for plunger smears and slurs from Rava. As the rhythm section tempo spikes so does the horn work, introducing an impressive inflating flourish. “Blues for Cecil No. 2” is Bluesier and more rhythmic, with vibrating string strokes surging to stropping sways and a foot-tapping drum backbeat. While the other players reference bedrock Blues, Rava’s solo is a modal of FeeBop adaptation with muted spills and sputters.  

This interface isn’t limited in any way. Tracks such as “Improvisation No. 2”  add architecture to the avant, with a dramatic introduction that blends fat brass slurs with intermittent string shakes. Although drum nerve beats and amplified col legno strokes from the bassist stay dissonant, Rava creates a near-Impressionist narrative. This same expert duality is maintained throughout, contrasting a track like Parker’s composed “Machu Picchu” with “Ballerina “ that Rava’s wrote. The first is  a hard swinger built on tough pops from the bass strings and drum ruffs, yet advances with poised and pointed brass tones that sashay from bugle blasts to basso snores.  Vibrant, “Ballerina” is conventional enough to have a head and reprise it at the end, but also emphasize the theme with flugelhorn rips and shuffled drum pops. 

Highlighting freshness through freedom, the trio on Chanting the Name of stays away from the conventional tropes which still illuminate the other disc. Although groove and themes aren’t ignored, emphasis is on individual technique extensions within the context of logical tripartite connection. The best illustrations of this during the disc five long selections are on “Keep Looking” and the title track. Inflating his output to wider siren-like tones  and plunger runs on the first tune, Vicente is soon challenged by disconnected plucks from Almeida and alarm-clock-type chiming from Alves. Singular fluctuations are soon blended into a methodical broken octave exposition with the trumpet’s metallic buzzes dissected to link with sul tasto string buzzes and expressive percussion pops. Moving up in pitch while the tempo speeds up, makes the result more expressive and expansive. Perfectly in sync, the three reach such a level of excitement that a few verbal exhortations are heard. The lengthiest track, “Chanting the Name of” is quieter and pulled to a squirming undulating finale, with string buzzes and metallic percussion rumbles. However Vicente’s lines retain a moderated tone with pointillist notes almost suspended in motion. Eventually, relaxing his exposition, the trumpeter introduces some whimpering triplets that extend the theme long enough to connect with sawing string motifs. Matching brass burbles and string buzzes, the piece settles into a satisfactory conclusion, with some mariachi-like blasts from Vicente as a coda. 

Working this way throughout, the trio members add astringent to atmospheric and reach ambulation. With additional broken chord expressions encompassing brass flatulence, multiple string stops and drum rambles, the three never neglect linear exposition.  Throughout as one track tile states, they spend time “Connecting the Dots”. 

Overall these are exemptional instance of trio cooperation, with little reason to choose one over the other.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Cecil: 1. Improvisation No. 1 2. Ballerina 3. Blues for Cecil No. 1 4. Improvisation No. 2 5. Top, Bottom and What’s in the Middle 6. Blues for Cecil No. 2 7. Enrava Melody 8. Overboard 9. Machu Picchu 10. My Funny Valentine 

Personnel: Cecil: Enrico Rava (flugelhorn); William Parker (bass) and Andrew Cyrille (drums)

Track Listing: Chanting: 1. Anahata 2.  Keep Looking 3.  Chanting in the Name Of 4.  Connecting the Dots 5.  May’s Flavour

Personnel: Chanting: Luís Vicente (trumpet); Gonçalo Almeida (bass) and Pedro Melo Alves (drums and percussion)