Album
number three on ECM for pianist Tord Gustavsen’s trio, and it’s his best yet. Still
composing and playing in a sparse and stripped down manner, Gustavsen continues
to favour quietly intense and introspectively cool in place of any ego-lead
shows of virtuosity, or indeed anything above a mid-paced tempo, that in a way
Gustavsen is perhaps the perfect artist and foil for label owner and producer
Manfred Eicher, and his singular vision.
Here
‘Karmosin’ showcases a masterclass in rhythm and melody, all the while maintaining
that uniquely strong Scandinavian atmosphere, where at the other end of the
spectrum ‘Blessed Feet’ shows the trios own distinctive take on blues, and ‘Around
You’ is just pure beauty. And yet, everything here maintains a fine and cohesive
whole, such is the clarity of intent of the trio – less a piano payer backed by
a rhythm section, and more three players all leading and exchanging ideas
between each other.
Better
still, of the many piano trios out there, Gustavsen’s is probably, alongside
E.S.T., the most song focused, with ‘Being There’ being the best example of
this. Thirteen tracks, with most falling under the five minute mark, each is a
concise and full piece that lets its charms and strengths play out unrushed,
yet without ever meandering or dragging.
For
the fans of his earlier work, here Gustavsen rewards their loyalty with an even
stronger effort, whilst newcomers should be well-served by this winning albums
crystal-like sound and its langorous yet intense musical landscapes. Consistently
beautiful, Tord Gustavsen has here created a new piano trio record that can sit
proudly alongside the established classics of the genre.
*****
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