Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Alec Spiegelman / Lefteris Kordis / Thor Thorvaldsson: Bebop Trio

211

Alec Spiegelman / Lefteris Kordis / Thor Thorvaldsson: Bebop Trio

By

Sign in to view read count
Alec Spiegelman / Lefteris Kordis / Thor Thorvaldsson: Bebop Trio
The theme of "walk, don't run" occurs throughout the entirety of Bebop Trio, a suite of improvisations on the sometimes pell-mell music of Herbie Nichols, Lennie Tristano, Elmo Hope, Bud Powell, George Shearing and Duke Ellington. Played by three accommodating and adaptive musicians, the familiar and frenetic becomes casual and conversant.

Where Powell's "Celia" is usually consumed with a bebop pulse, the trio skirts the conventional approach, serving the meal as mere aroma, though there is quite enough sense recognition to identify the music. Indeed, that is the prowess of this endeavor. These three players operate on such a cooperative and collective manner, that their improvisatory explorations never dead end. Tristano's "317 East 32nd" glides in on some dissonance, only to unfurl a much gentler, sympathetic version of the tune.

The trio prefers its bebop to be chamber jazz; certainly, addressing the music with clarinet/piano/drums much like Benny Goodman's trio work adds to the mischievousness. Alec Spiegelman, eschewing his saxophone here for the more conservative clarinet, boosts the contributions from pianist Lefteris Kordis and drummer Thor Thorvaldsson, who is free to accent with cymbals or emphasize notes with a rattling pulse, like a gentler version of Han Bennink.

Resurrecting Hope and Nichols' music here is a wondrous tribute to these still-neglected song writers. Nichols "Change of Season" and Hope's "Boa" are both (re)introduced as gentleman's melodies, as are the trio's recovery of Ellington's "Zurzday" and Shearing's "Conception," both re-imagined as beautiful dreams.

Track Listing

Prelude; Celia; Zurzday; First Interlude; Conception; Boa; Second Interlude; Chorale; Change of Season; 317 East 32nd; Celia (Reprise); Postlude.

Personnel

Lefteris Kordis: piano; Alec Spiegelman: clarinet; Thor Thorvaldsson: drums.

Album information

Title: Bebop Trio | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Creative Nation Music

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.