Dimitri Vassilakis: Parallel Lines

Tenor and soprano saxophonist Vassilakis leads a trio that includes bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts in a set of venturesome groove-based originals. For the most part, Vassilakis loops Essiet’s bass ostinatos, then overdubs Watts’ drums and his own saxes. As a result, the music, while melodically interesting, has an inorganic, hermetic quality. There’s little interaction. Indeed, it’s not entirely evident that the three were ever in the same room together.