The
piano-bass-drums trio has been given new life in jazz in recent years by the
Bad Plus, Brad Mehldau and the late Esbjorn Svensson in EST. While Travis
Wesley’s previous CD Natural Diversion paid tribute to such pianists as Red
Garland, Wynton Kelly, Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal, Cycle By Three is a giant
step forward. His playing is strikingly original and his interplay with bassist
Toby Curtright and drummer Tom Marko during a program filled with colorful
originals is consistently impressive.
“The music
crosses over several genres,” says Wesley, “and I hope that it will be
attractive not just to jazz enthusiasts but to many others. We wanted to
modernize the sound of the piano trio, break some rules and display our own
artistic voices. Drummer Tom Marko is very supportive, solid, and his musical
comments are tasty and stylistically appropriate. Toby Curtright’s approach to
the bass lies somewhere between the sounds of Scott LaFaro and Jaco Pastorius.
His sound is perfect for this group’s concept.” Many of the selections have
Wesley’s left hand and bassist Curtright stating the melodies together, giving
the group an easily identifiable sound.
The
pianist contributed six pieces to Cycle By Three. “Prelude” and “Postlude”
bookend the set with identical themes (based off of Chopin’s “Prelude in E
Minor #4″) that are interpreted in different ways. “Keeper Of Keys” has a
melody line inspired by Bach, a floating quality and a backbeat that brings the
piece to a climax. “Fading Friends” features the creative use of a hip hop
groove that is soulful, joyful and a bit funky while still including a lot of
improvisation. “Song For Madelynne” (dedicated to Wesley’s daughter) is the
longest piece of the set. It has a catchy background and a creative drum solo
by Marko. “Memoriam” is a hyper and inventive performance dedicated to Esbjorn
Svensson and EST.
Bassist
Toby Curtright brought in two songs that are also on Cycle By Three. Both
works, “But He Himself Was Broken” and “For Us, This Is The End Of All
Stories,” are instrumentals that have religious themes. The former uses
Curtright’s bowed bass and repetitious figures from the piano very effectively
while the latter is a ballad that is reminiscent of Pat Metheny in its
harmonies. Also included on Cycle By Three is a lyrical, modernized and quietly
emotional version of the Rodgers & Hart classic ”Spring Is Here.”
Travis
Wesley was born and raised in Bloomington, Illinois. He began taking piano
lessons when he was ten and, although he was most interested in classic rock at
the time, he soon discovered jazz through his piano teacher. “Jazz is where I
come from. The commitment and artistry that it takes to be able to play it is a
lifelong pursuit. It is the deepest form
of artistic expression that there is.”
Wesley
attended the Berklee College of Music for a year, earned a Bachelors degree in
music from Eastern Illinois University, completed his Masters in 2005 and
recently earned his doctorate. Wesley worked with saxophonist Willie Akins in
St. Louis during 2004-05, became a well respected educator and has led his own
groups for years in addition to appearing with some of the top musicians of the
Midwest.
While
Travis Welsey’s playing on 2012′s Natural Diversion showed his roots, Cycle By
Three displays his individuality and creativity. This colorful and inventive
set points the way towards the piano trio of the future.
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