Like the Trinity, good things come in threes…
Guitarist Dan Carillo teams up with bassist Andrew Bergmann and drummer Aaron Walker to create musical messages reflecting his thoughts on today’s current events. The tunes hold up well without watching Fox News, as there’s a mellow spaciousness to “TLC” as well as a gentle strum to the cadence of “May Day”. Walker’s brushes caress the pace of the folkish “La Noche Mas Oscura” and bounces well on the swinging and up beat “Good Grief”. Bergmann’s bass is up front throughout, dominating the conversation on “Puppets” and lurking around the corner on “A Cry In The Wilderness”. A hard to break chord of three strands.
Bold toned tenor saxist Adam Larson muscles up some music with his band of bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall on this collection of mostly originals. Larson shows his musical allegiances with a bold solo intro to the fun and kinetic take of Thelonious Monk’s ‘Wee See” while he rolls in like a Ben Webster fog for the gorgeous “Portrait of Jennie”. His onw “Angolan Babysitter” is a bold and dark fitting post bop suit, and he swings easy on “Root Fruit” and softly lyrical on ”Tierney’s Song”. Sommers’ “Firestarter” gives the leader a chance to tap into his inner Coltrane, while the title tune has the composer paint the town in blue pastels. Finger popping time.