Artist: Alan Pasqua, Peter Erskine, Darek Oles
Album: Live in Italy
Genre: Post-Bop, Contemporary Jazz
Label: Fuzzy Music
Released: 2022
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Tracklist:
- Agrodolce (Pasqua) - 8:46
- New Hope (Pasqua) - 7:49
- Old School Blues (Pasqua) - 7:32
- Nuages (Reinhardt) - 5:03
- Three-Quarter Molly (Erskine) - 6:07
- Turnaround (Pasqua) - 5:31
- Con Alma (Gillespie) - 9:28
- Snowglobe (Oles) - 8:21
- The Honeymoon (Oles) - 5:13
- Dear Chick (Pasqua) - 5:12
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- Personnel:
- Alan Pasqua - piano
- Darek Oles - bass
- Peter Erskine - drums
Pianist Alan Pasqua and drummer Peter Erskine have been playing together for over fifty years now. For over twenty years Darek Oles has completed the trio on double bass. While brilliant upper-echelon musicians in their own right, the magic that ensues in this trio is remarkable. Could playing together for so long, performing thousands of shows over the years lead to burnout or it becoming "old hat?" Not for these three true jazz cats. The conversations just get deeper, their vocabulary becomes more learned, and their freedom of improvisation is now unparalleled.
In 2021 the trio had a brief two weeks tour in Italy. One evening Live in Italy was recorded at an intimate concert hall in Camogli. The pristine recording has been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Jazz Instrumental Album. Crowd noise can be a problem with some live recordings, however, the trio was greeted at the Teatro Sociale by an enthusiastic yet respectful audience. They applauded earnestly after each song, but you could have heard a pin drop during the performance, as if they did not want to miss one note of the artistry before them. As much as this exquisite trio brings a lot to every performance there is one thing missing. Ego. There are no unnecessary flashy solos or "wow look how fast I can play" or competitive nonsense. They instead nourish, expand, and explore the boundaries of creativity. They respectfully apply their abundant skills in service of the song. Sometimes less is more, and at all times what is best for the development and sound of the material is their mindset and priority.
Pasqua opened the show with a three-minute wistful, poignant, winding road of a solo that articulately brushed up against serendipity along the way. Speaking of brushes, Erskine came in quietly, along with Oles, so as to not disturb the moment in time Pasqua had created. With symmetry, the trio finished Pasqua's memorable composition "Agrodulce," which translates to bittersweet. As a sidebar, it seems the trio had some fun with song listings on the CD. It is a MENU, that of an Italian restaurant, with five categorical selections. Those being Antipasta, Primi, Secondi, Contorni, and Dolce. It is representative of the fun and joy they have in performing together and that they share with the audience.
Two more Pasqua-penned tunes follow. "New Hope" was written with respect to Keith Jarrett, and indeed it has that feel. "Old School Blues" kicked up the tempo with strong walking lines from Oles and the opportunity for Erskine to shine with sharp fills. The trio's interplay gels more with every groove. While they are known for playing cerebral reimaginings of many standards, as well as their own original work, the Django Reinhardt classic "Nuages" came as a bit of a surprise. A delicate song to take on when you consider its origins. The title translates to clouds. Written in 1939, Reinhardt was referring to the melancholic clouds of war during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Stunning is the best word to describe this beautifully solemn yet musically robust take. Pasqua renders Reinhardt's guitar phrasing on his piano with nuance and respect, while Oles plays with fluidity in caressing his instrument bringing vintage elegance to the piece.
Erskine's savvy use of space, rhythm, and timing is featured in his clever and artful composition "Three-Quarter Molly." In a subtle nod of the kit to Elvin Jones and his "Three Card Molly," it is as if Erskine is floating with ease inside the textures of Pasqua and Oles. They shuffled off to Pasqua's "Turnaround" which then indeed turns around into some deep swing. The joint was jumpin.' The changes of direction and astute interplay are now widely on display. Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" is a favorite of the trio to perform. They were already swinging so its brisk pace just kept the momentum moving forward, while very much their own perceptions of the energy and feel of Gillespie's work remained intact.
Two outstanding compositions from Oles closed the show. Well, there was an encore, but we will get to that. The harmonically rich "Snowglobe" is a sophisticated piece of jazz that combines many elements. Just the kind of tune in which they were able to apply their large vocabulary and dig into. "The Honeymoon" has become a staple. The smartly-crafted tune has a melody that Pasqua flies on, while the bop trade-offs between Erskine and Oles are priceless. As he had throughout the evening, Erskine feasted on Oles deft changes. An upbeat big-time swinging crowd-pleaser for sure. The encore was sentimental in that it was a tribute to Chick Corea. It emanated Chick's creative energy and harmonic swell. Pasqua's "Dear Chick" was full of joy, which was so often the case with his music.
This is a jazz trio performance of note. The Grammy nomination may have already given that away. This is jazz in an array of colors, textures, and insightful conversations. The longtime trio continues to evolve, finding new ways to express, create, and converse. The imaginative and fertile trio of Pasqua, Erskine, and Oles has reached a new pinnacle in intuitive improvisation.
Review by Jim Worsley