As a followup to his outstanding debut as a leader, Portraits, drummer-composer Matt Slocum settles into a rare telepathy with pianist Gerald Clayton and bassist Massimo Biolcati on this enchanting trio outing. A tastefully polyrhythmic drummer with a penchant for melodicism on the kit (as he demonstrates with mallets on the pensive opener “Jacaranda”), Slocum establishes an intimate, interactive vibe with his mates on these nine tracks. They swing blithely through “The Catalyst,” then turn in walking-on-eggshells renditions of “It’s Easy to Remember” and the elegant title track. “Passaic” is a loose three-way conversation, while their politely swinging take on Cole Porter’s “Everything I Love” is strictly old-school. Other highlights include a brilliant arrangement of Maurice Ravel’s “La Vallee des Cloches” and Slocum’s urgently burning closer, “Pete’s Place.”
Originally PublishedMatt Slocum: After the Storm
JazzTimes may earn a small commission if you buy something using one of the retail links in our articles. JazzTimes does not accept money for any editorial recommendations. Read more about our policy here. Thanks for supporting JazzTimes.
