Monday, November 1, 2021

Sergio Amaroli, Steve Piccolo, Elliott Sharp, Blue in Mind

 

Sometimes we get to hear something not quite in the place other musics have been. I feel like that listening to the Blue in Mind album (Leo Records CD LR 920).It is a trio that refuses to stand still, but rather keeps transforming into various soundscaped hues of chamber Avant Jazz that challenges our ears and brings us to new places.

The lineup features Sergio Armarole on vibraphone, Steve Piccolo on vocals and recitation-speech, and Elliott Sharp on electric guitar, soprano sax and electronics. Now everything Elliott does here is not unexpected exactly. There are Freebop evergreens that highlight Sharp's roots and controlled vision that sets things up for Armaroli's very together vibe counterthrusts and Piccolo's swinging outness and spreading soundscaping recitations. Fittingly but not exactly expectantly there is Sharp's long electronic wash at the end of the program. None of this will astonish you who know his music but it will doubtless please you and feel like the New Thing that it all is.

What makes this all click is that all three show their Jazz roots and an aurally cleansing freesome that brings us all into the now. Elliott's guitar work alone is worth the "price of admission." Adventuresome guitarists should find much to discover. And reassuringly the whole set of interactions puts us in an inspiring place, no matter what we ourselves play or do not play. It's a good one!