| Jazz progressif |
A lovely trio that presents us with their second album, featuring Joel Ledbetter on piano, Rich Brown, a bassist who rivals Jaco Pastorius, and the excellent drummer Larnell Lewis on drums. From the first measures of the opening track, the compositions launch into highly intricate rhythms, while the art of melody is still very much present. This group, functioning in perfect balance, may in some ways remind you of the band Yes in their prime. The music of this trio is a generational and cultural mix, deeply rooted in today’s jazz, yet offering rock and Latin influences, all delivered with a singular elegance.
Gravity grips you right from the start of ‘Flight’ with its infectious rhythmic drive and extremely high technical demands. At times, it’s a breathtaking experience, just like gravity itself, as these three virtuosos unleash their talents mercilessly.
It’s also quite amusing to hear the piano melodies, mainly influenced by classical music, blend with boldness and cleverness into this beautiful rhythm section. Clearly, the cohesion of this group is based as much on rhythmic exploration as on humor, a deep sense of rhythmic consistency, and technical or stage performance.
‘We want to take the listener on a journey with us,’ says Ledbetter, ‘and I think the best way to do that is to make the journey vivid, intense, emotional, and energetic, to play with passion and emotion, with grit and heart, blood and sweat, you know? We want to create something that’s impossible to look away from.’
And that’s the case, for the good reason that this group’s music is somewhat designed like a TV police show, with its moments of suspense and others more suited to dialogue, listening, and strolling under a sunny sky… The progression of the tracks is remarkable, and if you listen closely, you’ll even find references to Spyro Gyra on the track ‘Port Of Spain.’ Little is known about Jeremy Lebter, except for this video found on Roland’s website:
If you want to know more, here’s the link.
For us, *Gravity* is an album that we consider a ‘Favorite.'”
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, September 10th 2024
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