Moiré Music Trio

Albenrezension

Saxophonist Trevor Watts, electric bassist Colin McEnzie, and wildman percussionist Paapa J. Mensah have created perhaps the most accessible record ever issued on the Intakt label. Ten tracks of solid funky jazz improv full of deep grooves, shimmering riffs, and poignant, lyrical solos offer a vision of Watts that may not be exactly at odds with his persona in the London Composers' Orchestra or his larger percussion band on ECM, but nonetheless is more dimensionally varied. The set opens with "Jungle Strut," a four-note bass figure from deep funk territory and a cut-time rhythmic structure that is decorated with Watts' alto running through scalar intervals in the middle. "End of the Road" is a five-note melodic theme that hypnotically repeats itself as Mensah's vocals chant hauntingly over the top and Watts moves into a solo over the percussion variations. McEnzie for his part moves the rhythmic considerations aside to concentrate on a more harmonic elemental groove. The David Parsons album Yatra influenced the track "Yatra Groove." Some of the samples Parsons used on "Tibetan Plateau" and elsewhere are here extrapolated musically and interspersed with South African jive melodies and polyrhythmic bass and drum considerations. It's a dance tune for sure, consumed with a flowery lyricism provided by watts on alto. Throughout, whether the mood is driving or laid-back, funky or shuffling, the sheer melodic invention of this band is wondrous and fresh. Highly recommended.