Merida Encuentro, Songs of Deception, with Blaise Siwula

Merida Encuentro is Blaise Siwula's cooperative trio from down Mexico way. Their new one, Songs of Deception (Setola di Maiale 2016) gives us a special open, freely improvised moodiness that wears well and projects nicely. It is Blaise sounding quite fit and exploratory on clarinet (a treat to hear him at length on this), alto clarinet, soprano and alto sax and wooden flutes, plus Armando Merid Martin, here on acoustic guitar throughout, and Edgar Caamal on drums and percussion.

There is a special sort of laid-back introspection to this set. Not that it doesn't have energy at times, but it also has a kind of mutual reflectiveness, an avant freedom that explores possibilities more than it insists on performative presence, though that is there. But there is a threesome of searching for its own sake, experimental ways to get to where they want to go that make for a understated yet mutually reinforcing kind of three-way.

And I just love what Blaise is doing on the clarinet. Armando and Edgar give us some well conceived dialoging that does much to make this session so mood-open.

It's the sort of music where you need to get on the plane of the trio to fully engage with it. Once you do there is much to fascinate and appreciate.

Another good one! A different one! A worthy one!