Burton Greene, Damon Smith, Ra Kalam Bob Moses, Life's Intense Mystery

 

Burton Greene, most readers will know, was a key pioneer of the Free Jazz piano back when only a handful of players were doing it. He is a survivor and a thriver, for he still gives us an explosive mix and over the years he has refined it without losing the power of the moment-is-now expression.

He has many excellent recordings over the years and I try to keep up. He sent me a new batch the other day and I've been digging just now one I am especially glad to catch up with. It's a trio date from 2017 when he was in the States. Life's Intense Mystery  (Astral Spirits MF 193/AS090)

It is an all-star trio with Burton meshing with the lucid bass of Damon Smith and brilliant drummer Bob Moses.

The trio tackles wonderfully well a series of moods and modes, quiet dark tinklings, post-Monk-Chopsticks staccato humor, drumming piano immersions, sustain washes of free sound, all in six parts.

This is excellent piano trio freedom, an essential disk in the Burton Greene discography. Get it!