One of the many things I've always loved about Jazz is the collaboration between so many of the players. Ellington and Coltrane, Coltrane and Miles, Miles and Monk, Dexter Gordon and Herbie Hancock, Herbie and Miles, the list goes on and on. The trio of Gregory Uhlmann, Josh Johnson, and Sam Wilkes are obviously not the star power like those I just mentioned, but their association with some of modern Jazz's best artists makes the conversation relevant. Together, the trio also isn't playing the same kind of Jazz you'd associate with the prior legends. This isn't Bebop, Post-Bop, or Free Jazz, but something that can at times recall a lot of those genres. Blending astral guitar work, ambient bass, and celestial saxophone, the trio conjure up a sound that can levitate and take listeners on a cosmic journey that may be rooted in Jazz, but freely explores other realms as well. On their excellent debut album from earlier this year that was released by International Anthem, a can't miss label who regularly puts out some of the most fascinating Jazz but not Jazz Jazz, the trio samples bird calls, rain drops, and digital delights and loops them into their boundless soundscapes that are majestically free of percussion and full of wonderful improvisations. On their own, the trio has played with a slew of other remarkable artists and Uhlmann and Johnson play together in the group SML, but in this setting, the three artists follow one another's lead for some mesmerizing moments that translate well to a live setting. While no one appears to take the lead, the trio play well off one another and can follow the groove with loose jams that spin up from a whirling guitar melody, padded bass chords, and a textural sonic blanket of saxophone for a rather psyched-out approach that allows your mind to wander along with their sprawling rhythms. "Arpy," an Uhlmann-penned number, was an airy and billowing tune that floated with delicate saxophone and more swirls of guitar that helped to transcend the song to the outer limits. An ethereal moment that seemed to hover with delicacy and grace, a bit jumpy, but never fragmented. As they laid into "Marvis," the opening song from their record, but near set closer for the live show, the trio skyrocketed the vibes into a jammy sensation as Johnson unleashed his blasts of melody, riling up the crowd as everyone got down with the righteous tones. The band ended the night just like they do on their record, with a slowed down take on The Beatles' "Fool on the Hill," transforming it from a psychedelic odyssey into a trip of delayed sound that ripples ever so slightly over the haunting refrains. It was a deep and powerful moment that milked every second for all their worth as the serpentine groove slowly coiled around the room and the band melded into the track. A real collective, the flow and play between the three was cohesive and purposeful and it made for an outstanding night of a rich, deep, and dreamy performance.
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