Negroni’s Trio: Piano/Drums/Bass

Not as stripped-to-the-bone as its title implies, Negroni’s Trio’s Piano/Drums/Bass (Universal) features saxophone on two tracks and additional percussion on one. Jose Negroni may stick to the old fashioned 88s here, but Jaime Rivera sure loves his electric bass and Nomar Negroni has himself a time walloping his drum set-this is music deeply informed by a fusion aesthetic. A perky Latin feel informs nearly all 10 tracks to no great avail. A tangy version of Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints”-not the most daring of choices-is the album’s highlight. But for all the technique strutting designed to show off the band members’ extreme chops, the production maintains a too-slick veneer that speaks of lite more than mainstream jazz.

Originally Published May 1, 2005