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Andy Wheelock: Whee3trio: In The Wheelhouse

By Dan McClenaghan
October 25, 2024
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Andy Wheelock: Whee3trio: In The Wheelhouse

The first minute of an imminent immersion into the sound of In the Wheelhouse, by drummer

Andy Wheelock

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy Wheelock and the Whee3trio, is "rhythm, rhythm, rhythm." The second impression is "Africa." This is not surprising given that Wheelock took a good deal of his inspiration for this effort via his study of the Ghanaian gyil, a type of xylophone. He speaks of "running my gyil through the POG2 pedal while writing the music for this album, of playing the instrument with live looping and guitar pedals."

The Whee3trio is percussionist Wheelock, pianist

Walter Gorra

piano
b.1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Walter Gorra and bassist

Gonzalo Teppa

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Gonzalo Teppa. Special guest

Gilad Hekselman

guitar
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Gilad Hekselman joins them on guitar. The guitar is used here, to an extent, as an additional percussion instrument, much in the way that pianist

Ahmad Jamal

piano
1930 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Ahmad Jamal used the instrument in his early 1950s drummerless trio recordings.

The quartet creates a fine collective sound, reminiscent of

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock's 1963 Blue Note Records outing, Inventions & Dimensions, having a similar timelessness versus modernity feeling. And, like much music out of Africa (or inspired by it, in this case), it bubbles with a vibrant, life-affirming, groove-centric electricity.

The influences of Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and West African sounds take Wheelock in a world jazz direction, to a crafting of new dimensions for his art. There may even be some pop tinges in the mix. The group interplay makes for a joyfully hypnotic listening experience. With a band that is this tight and cohesive, the breaking down of the parts is unnecessary. However, the occasional brief but inspired solos that rise above the rhythms from Hekselman and Gorra can easily draw one into that type of listening mode.

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Track Listing

Empire; Well Luck Indeed; Dash to Dash; Two5 - Two3; Kewo; Blossom; Your Poor Mother; Finn; I'm Not Afraid; In the Wheelhouse.

Personnel

Andy Wheelock

drums

Gonzalo Teppa

bass

Walter Gorra

piano

Gilad Hekselman

guitar

Album information

Title: Whee3trio: In The Wheelhouse | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: OA2 Records

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