Haney-Cyrille-Duval a Go Go

David Haney is a pianist of the purist sort. He plays freely, he plays imaginatively and he plays exactly what he wants. That to me is a "pure" sort of stance. On the Conspiracy A Go Go (CIMP 369) recording, he is surrounded by an ideal set of musicians for such an endeavor. Andrew Cyrille is one of the true pioneers and a most lucid example of the free drummer. He listens, he responds beautifully. He can play excellent time and excellent out-of-time drums. And he does here. Dominic Duval happens to be one of the major free bassists on this planet. A description of his style would assume he can be pinned down. He cannot. He varies what he does to accord with who is playing on the date and the nature of the music intended. He plays some wonderful solo spots on this one and makes a major contribution to the success of this trio effort. (My spellcheck tells me that I should substitute "sauces" in place of "success." That would leave us with "makes a major contribution to the SAUCES of this trio effort." Almost a good one!)

Then there is David Haney. Perhaps not a name everybody knows. But listen to him. He knows the value of varying density and dynamics; he has a sharply honed sense of what clusters and individual lines suit the moment and he comes through with them.

Anyone who likes the full interactive possibilities of the free piano trio ought to check this one out. It's a textbook lesson on what three people can do to keep the music happening. And it is consistently excellent in thought and execution.