Radio Silence

NEIL COWLEY TRIO: Radio Silence
Naim Jazz, 2011

MODERN JAZZ/ROCK – This British piano trio works that line between modern jazz and instrumental rock/pop. Many groups in this space go for either arty intellectualism or bombastic noise, but Cowley finds a comfortable middle ground, touching both those extremes but mostly doing his own thing. This is a very likeable disc, beautifully balanced between huge, stony, unyielding themes and soft elegance.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9

1. 5:20 – abstracted intro; big stomping theme with quiet linking stretches
2. 6:01 – chilly, aloof theme stands like a monolith; soft, complex trio interplay
3. 5:26 – strong rolling theme, very tender in the middle, but huge at the end
4. 3:44 – improvisational trio interplay, dodges/flees a cute melodic core
5. 3:52 – solid rock beat; catchy melody & tricky shifts, bursts with joy
6. 5:06 – monolithic theme with soft edges and several introspective breaks
7. 6:00 – a catchier, more pop-like variation on #1, flows into playful solo
8. 5:49 – perky bounce with a jittery, angular streak, hard crunch in the middle
9. 7:00 – drifts in, then bright & flowing, builds up to thrusting peaks, falls back. This track is 7:00 long, then 2:00 of silence before a “hidden” track

[ Fo ] - January 2012