Nick Vayenas’ slide and valve trombone melodies are simply stated. But placed in a variety of settings-titanium-clad neo-fusion grooves, hipster postbop strolls or gauzy, drawn-out ballads-they paint a multifaceted portrait of a young composer finding a new sound all his own. Coolly detached themes, sometimes bordering on aloofness, give way to emotionally direct solos, with pianist Aaron Parks, saxophonist Patrick Cornelius and drummer Kendrick Scott excavating the hidden depths of Vayenas’ gleaming yet elusive tunes.
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