Remi Alvarez Trio, Lafahmisi

Mexico-City based tenor Remi Avarez keeps getting better and better. You can hear it in his new trio release Lafahmisi (Intolerancia 172). It's Remi plus Arturo Baez on the contrabass, Gustavo Nandayapa on drums. And they are inspired on this set. Eight tunes, all originals I believe, and it's fire-breathing all the way.

The rhythm section is hot and supercharged. Whether involved in advanced time or freetime, they are on it. When I first put this disk on I thought, "hmm...I hear Dewey Redman and/or Ornette on tenor being rechanneled!" but then the music shifted a bit. There are "new thing" roots to be detected here for sure but the trunk and branches are Remi and the trio, and they sound terrific.

Remi plays with an authority, command and fire I've not heard from him before. At least not like this. That's not to say that his earlier sides weren't excellent (type his name in the search box above and press enter for earlier reviews); they were. But the combination of this hard-charging rhythm section working with some very good compositional head material seems to have catapulted Remi into a really articulate, very steam-driven zone. His tone is edgy but full and he is in TOTAL COMMAND.

You must hear this, ye of the free persuasion. This sounds like a milestone to me. Viva Remi Alvarez; viva his trio!