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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Harvey Sorgen, Herb Robertson & Steve Rust - Rumble Seat (Not Two, 2013) ****

By Stef

We find Herb Robertson back on this third trumpet trio, with Harvey Sorgen on drums and sounds, and Steve Rust on basses and sounds. Despite Robertson's presence, the music on this album is totally different than on "Party Enders".

Despite the fact that all tracks are fully improvised, except  for "Beauty In The Fan", the approach is different, with all pieces - more in a song-like structure - clocking around five minutes, yet each with a very distinct character and approach.

The first is nervous and agitated like the Corbett/Stephens/Marsh trio
the second is boppish improv;
the third is calm and meditative;
the fourth is tribal weird with flute;
the fifth is dark and melancholy with electronics;
the sixth is raw and energetic, with mad chanting;
the seventh is expansive and bluesy;
the eighth is playful with some kind of duck-calls (possibly of the bath-tub variety) and snorting ruffling growling sounds
the ninth is mysterious and slow despite a rapid percussion intro;
the tenth is crisp and bizarre and full of changes;
the eleventh is rhythmic framed by Rust's somewhat funky bass;
the twelfth is dreamy and nightmarish, floating on dark organ tones;
the thirteenth is again free-boppish and energetic, a great piece to end it all.

In short, lots of variety on one album and which manages to stay coherent too. It's a little bit like a box of  Belgian chocolates : they all look the same, but each chocolate has its own exquisite taste and refined texture and unique feel, and they all nicely fit together.

It is fun, it is fanastic that this performance still found its way to the record stores five years after its performance.


Available at Instantjazz.
© stef

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