Fabric Trio, Murmur

Groups you don't know that much about are in many ways the more challenging. If you don't have ears, you are in trouble. Because you have to hear just about solely what's going on instead of reacting to ear and reputation, legend or what have you.

Unfamiliar bands have less to live up to, in a way, but then at the same time they have to grab you all at once, so to speak. For me it's easy enough. If I don't find a more-or-less unknown band interesting I simply don't cover them.

The fact that I am covering the Fabric Trio and their album Murmur (No Business LP 66) means they struck me as good. They consist of Frank Paul Schubert on soprano and alto, Mike Majkowski on acoustic bass and Yorgos Dmitriadis on drums.

This is a band firmly in the free jazz mode, recording in Berlin circa 2010. Schubert has a flowing line, great control of harmonics and a very nice way of getting from "A" to "B". He in part gives the band cohesiveness by the connective logic of his free improvs. Mike Majkowski bows harmonics nicely, and pizzes and arcos with grace and ideas. Yorgas Dimitriadis can make pleasing junk percussion sounds or flat-out head and hit for the unknown stars with high-stakes free energy.

If you like the free mode with some quiet exotic-sound times and then also some hair-raising energy and excitement, this album is for you. No Business is only pressing 300 of these babies on vinyl so get one now or presumably lose your chance.

Recommended.