Matthew Shipp Trio

New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz

ESP

Few artists are more prolific both as a leader and as sideman than pianist and composer Matthew Shipp. Our coverage of his brilliant work is not nearly in keeping with his artistry, but we have been catching up somewhat in recent years. In 2023 we brought you his solo album, The Intrinsic Nature of Matthew Shipp, Rich Halley’s Fire Within, and East Axis No Subject. In 2022 we covered Whit Dickey Quartet’s Root Perspectives. Yet, this is our first entry for The Matthew Shipp Trio with bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Newman Taylor Baker, who deliver their sixth recording, New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz. Who knows? This could be their final installment as Shipp seems especially proud and overwhelmed with this effort, “[It] sounds completely thoroughly composed and yet completely improvised at the same time…While creating a whole new cosmos we manage to escape every cliché that exists in jazz and in avant jazz. This really might be the last trio CD because it really cannot get any better than this?”  Surely, it sounds hyperbolic, but we’ve spared you some of the quotes that go even further.

You may know that Shipp has delivered countless trio albums which began with iconic bassist William Parker and drummer Whit Dickey as his rhythm mates on Circular Temple in 1990. (reissued on ESP in 2023). There have been six different configurations in terms of personnel, but this trio has been the most prolific and long-lasting. The Bisio and Baker connection began in 2015 with Conduct In Jazz, so understandably they know each other’s moves almost beyond telepathy at this point. Nonetheless the title of this album and Shipp’s comments in the above quote augur a most special session. Manager and producer Steve Holtje admits to the title harking back to the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s with Stan Kenton’s New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm, Sam River’s A New Conception, and Bill Evans’s New Jazz Conceptions. Yet, the title came spontaneously after hearing what this trio laid down as it was unlike any piano/bass/drum trio music he had heard, this coming from the producer of three previous albums from the same trio, including 2022’s widely acclaimed World Construct.

 “Primal Poem” exudes a classical sheen in its unhurried cadence and savvy use of space, with Bisio sometimes inserting a robust bass note and Baker in delicate support. “Sea Song” begins with whispering cymbal flourishes with Shipp again in contemplative mode. Bisio’s resonating notes together with Shipp’s restraint seem to signify the calm of the ocean with an encroaching storm. As such, the drama builds gradually with Shipp hitting his trademark left hand chords and Baker working in contrast frenetically. Shipp’s climbing and descending scales do indeed convey an undulating effect, yet the piece resolves most peacefully. Bisio takes the muscular pizzicato intro to the angular “The Function,” soon establishing a sturdy walking bassline for Shipp’s emphatic short bursts while Baker seems content filling in the spaces rather being the main rhythm driver, some role reversal at hand here. He echoes Shipp’s right-hand flurries with brush pattering of his snares as the two spar in a feisty dialogue through a labyrinth of rhythm sequences. They give way to an expressive Bisio, who in turn, takes it out symmetrically.

Baker takes the lead in “Non Circle,” another angular piece, taken at a faster tempo, featuring those patented Shipp left-hand rolls and shifting dynamics. Each voice sounds both individual and yet in synch somehow. Biso is methodically steady while Baker percolates far less predictably. Shipp is primarily weighty and authoritative here, with only a few glimpses of his pensive side that marked the earlier tracks. His piano is like a fully stoked industrial engine on this track. Sure enough, the minimalist single notes and chords, punctuated by both arco and pizzicato bass strokes imbue the solemn “Tone IQ,” a shining feature for the bassist, who sticks with the arco tones, again evoking some classical strains, as the trio moves into the profoundly dark “Brain System.”  The fluttering arco, judiciously placed piano notes and occasional dense chords, with zephyrs of wispy cymbals do justice to the title. “Brain Work” is suitably brighter and far more declarative in tone: one can sense a project at work, both the moments of inspiration and the pauses in thinking through next steps in Shipp’s pianism. The nearly twelve-minute “Coherent System,” harnesses the aspects and motifs heard in the prior three pieces with its push-pull between the three players, unveiling the first sense of swing shrouded in controlled chaos. Ideas are exchanged quickly only to often resurface several minutes later. All of this is clearly delineated by Shipp’s oft thunderous chordal language alternating with gorgeous right-hand sweeps and a touch that’s by turns delicate and mighty.

This trio has clearly swapped some of the most traditional roles. Thunder comes more often from the piano than the drums. The bassist is just as likely to command the melody as the pianist.   Democracy reigns supreme throughout. It’s not two supporting the leader, it’s each one supporting the other in a heady listen that leaves us guessing practically the whole way through. It’s free, yet conceptual and eminently purposeful as well.

 

• Jim Hynes

BUY NOW

Buy Us a Cup of Coffee!

Join the movement in supporting Making a Scene, the premier independent resource for both emerging musicians and the dedicated fans who champion them.

We showcase this vibrant community that celebrates the raw talent and creative spirit driving the music industry forward. From insightful articles and in-depth interviews to exclusive content and insider tips, Making a Scene empowers artists to thrive and fans to discover their next favorite sound.

Together, let’s amplify the voices of independent musicians and forge unforgettable connections through the power of music

You can donate directly through Paypal!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter