The three team trio of piano/keyboards, bass and drum are modernized on these two recent releases.
Mem3 is comprised of Michael Cabe/p, Mauk Lau/b and Ernestino Cervini/dr, all of them contributing compositions and ideas on this fresh collection of originals. Lau’s bass is warm and thoughtful as he directs traffic for Cabe’s warm touch on pieces like the pulsating “Centrical” and the resonant, rustling and restless “Native Dancer.” Cervini’s cymbals cascade the team through “Circles” while his brush work gracefully pushes the team along on the melodic “Anthem,” nudging everyone along at a sprinter’s pace on “Olympic.” The melodies range from the folksy “Shire Song” to the bold and thick chords on “AFJ,” confirming the biblical adage that “a chord of three strands is not easily broken.” Easy to recommend.
Alex Chadsey focuses on piano, but also adds intermittent keyboards along with Farko Dasumov’s bass with voice and Jeff “Bongo” Busch’s drum work. The team feels comfortable with Latin grooves as on the lyrical “Rio Pescadres” and Caribbean moods such as “Sinister Minister” and “Michel.” Dosumov’s bass and voice do some wondrous and prismatic effects on the charming “Forgotten Well,” and the team gets a bit funky with keyboards during the hip backbeat of “Razzle Dazzle. Longing pieces such as “Salif” and “Moon Waltz” have the three interacting for moods of sparkling stars. Embracing.