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The Art of the Trio: John Patitucci, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Marcus Strickland
Brad Mehldau
pianob.1970
Kurt Rosenwinkel Standards Trio
Reflections
Wommusic
2009
Longtime fans of guitarist 
Kurt Rosenwinkel
guitarb.1970
Eric Revis
bassb.1967
Eric Harland
drumsb.1976
Rosenwinkel's in-the-clear opening to 
Thelonious Monk
piano
1917 - 1982
Given Rosenwinkel's past performances, it's easy to imagine him deconstructing standards like "More Than You Know," strapping the remains onto his rocket-propelled axe, and firing it out into space. But Rosenwinkel's approach is all about respect...not only for the pieces and their composers, but for the time in which this music comes from. "You've Changed" is as warm and comfortable as a glass of mulled cider, and 
Dizzy Gillespie
trumpet
1917 - 1993
In the middle of this mash-up of classics is Rosenwinkel's own composition "East Coast Love Affair." First recorded in 1996, this tune almost qualifies as a standard on its own. Given the same smokey jazz club approach, "East Coast" blends in seamlessly with the rest of the date's material. Again, for fans of Rosenwinkel's earlier work, Reflections may require a perspective adjustment. But given the beauty and creativity of the disc, the paradigm shift is well worth it.
Visit Kurt Rosenwinkel on the web.
Marcus Strickland Trio
Idiosyncrasies
Strick Muzik
2009
Imagine walking the high wire over a shark tank during a hailstorm. As metaphors go, it's pretty vivid and pretty dangerous. It's also the best way to illustrate the delicate balancing act that comes with fronting a sax trio date—which may explain why it's rarely attempted, and rarely successful. With Idiosyncrasies, the 
Marcus Strickland
clarinet, bass
The Strickland original "Cuspy's Delight" sets the disc's winning tone, as Stricklands' tenor sax torches the off-time establishing figure while his brother 
E.J. Strickland
drums
Ben Williams
bass, electric
Jaco Pastorius
bass, electric
1951 - 1987
The latter track is an example of Marcus' delightfully eclectic choice of cover material. Idiosyncrasies closes with the breakneck "Time To Send Someone Away," a creation of Swedish singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez and DJ/rapper Magnus "Embee" Bergkvist. OutKast's "She's Alive" is a stroll in the night through a less than benign neighborhood, lit only by Strickland's luminous tone, and E.J.'s titanic solo at the end of 
Stevie Wonder
vocals
b.1950
Marcus expertly stretches the outside of the envelope on every solo, and his sense of narrative never falls flat. "Rebirth" is a passionate eulogy as full of love as it's full of grief, and he overdubs a flock of clarinets to build the technical marvel "The Child." Marcus' past work with trumpeter 
Dave Douglas
trumpet
b.1963
Visit Marcus Strickland on the web.
John Patitucci Trio
Remembrance
Concord
2009
The first thought that occurs during "Monk/Trane"—the opening cut on bassist 
John Patitucci
bass
b.1959
Joe Lovano
drums
b.1952
Bill Frisell
guitar, electric
b.1951
Paul Motian
drums
1931 - 2011
Brian Blade
drums
b.1970
Along with investigating the possibilities of this united musical front, Patitucci and his partners pay tribute to friends and influences, both past and present. The title track—a Patitucci solo piece that closes the disc—is dedicated to the late saxophonist 
Michael Brecker
saxophone, tenor
1949 - 2007
Sonny Rollins
saxophone
b.1930
Joe Henderson
saxophone
1937 - 2001
Freddie Hubbard
trumpet
1938 - 2008
The difference between the Patitucci Trio and the Lovano/Frisell/Motian triumvirate is with groove, in that the Patitucci Trio usually has one. This is not to say the latter trio doesn't make amazing, exploratory music; however, because of Motian's fascination with rubato and his insistence on being the ghost in the machine, his collaborations with Lovano and Frisell can meander, often to the point of distraction. Blade may be a minimalist in his own right, but he's always got a definite direction. The chemistry Patitucci and Blade built in the Wayne Shorter Quartet really shines through here, particularly on the floating "Meditations." (Admittedly this piece is rubato, but it's an exception, not the rule.)
Although Remembrance is a great example of an ironclad group aesthetic, Patitucci's best individual work comes on the title track, where he overdubs a doleful piccolo bass solo over his own 6-string electric bass foundation. This is not only Patitucci as craftsman, but Patitucci as a human being who's lost a dear friend—a moving coda for a remarkable release.
Visit John Patitucci on the web.
Tracks and Personnel
Reflections
Tracks: Reflections; You Go To My Head; Fall; East Coast Love Affair; Ask Me How; Ana Maria; More Than You Know; You've Changed.
Personnel: Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar; Eric Revis: bass; Eric Harland: drums.
Idiosyncrasies
Tracks: Cuspy's Delight; Rebirth; Scatterheart; The Child; Middleman; She's Alive; Portrait Of Tracy; Set Free; You've Got It bad, Girl; Ne Bi Fe; Time To Send Someone Away.
Personnel: Marcus Strickland: tenor & soprano saxophones, clarinets; Ben Williams: bass; E.J. Strickland: drums.
Remembrance
Tracks: Monk/Trane; Messaien's Gumbo; Sonny Side; Meditations; Mali; Scenes From An Opera; Blues For Freddie; Safari; Joe Hen; Play Ball; Remembrance.
Personnel: John Patitucci: acoustic bass (1, 3, 6-10), 6-string electric bass (2, 4, 5, 11), arco bass quartet (6), 6-string electric piccolo bass (11); Joe Lovano: tenor sax, alto clarinet (6); Brian Blade: drums; Rogerio Boccato: percussion (2, 4, 5, 8); Sachi Patitucci: cello quartet (6).
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