Andrew Cyrille, Mark Dresser, and Marty Ehrlich have formed a consummately cooperative jazz group, and C/D/E is their first recording. On tunes like Cyrille's melancholy "Aubade," Ehrlich's melody statement segues into some magically delicate group improvisation. Here, Cyrille limits himself to tiny cowbell hits, Ehrlich plaintively explores the tune, and Dresser dances around a funky walking line; no musician steps into the spotlight, yet the music is never without focus. This tune and others (all three members write for ...
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Andrew Cyrille, Mark Dresser, and Marty Ehrlich have formed a consummately cooperative jazz group, and C/D/E is their first recording. On tunes like Cyrille's melancholy "Aubade," Ehrlich's melody statement segues into some magically delicate group improvisation. Here, Cyrille limits himself to tiny cowbell hits, Ehrlich plaintively explores the tune, and Dresser dances around a funky walking line; no musician steps into the spotlight, yet the music is never without focus. This tune and others (all three members write for the project) reveal why these men are some of the most in-demand players in modern creative jazz: They remain sensitive at all times to the dynamic of the group. All the selections are intriguing, but Thomas Chapin's ethereal "Aeolus," on which Ehrlich plays flute, and Ehrlich's Ornette Coleman-esque "C/D/E," featuring successive solos by each player, really showcase the versatility of this all-star trio. One caveat for fans of these players' more aggressive output is that the mood here is largely tender and melodic, with little outright blaring. ~ Henry M. Shteamer, Rovi
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