Fans of Latin jazz in general and of bossa nova in particular may find
Triorganico's sound a bit on the abstract side, and the arrangements a bit dissolute -- the line between improvisation and noodling can be thin at the best of times, and this guitar-flute/reeds-drums trio spends an awful lot of time dancing right on the very edge of that line. And while all of the music presented here is very lovely, there are times when the production quality itself is just a bit on the diaphanous side; at times you feel like you're struggling to hear the musical ideas through a layer of pastel-colored gauze. But the struggle is worth it: the punningly titled "El Commendante" features both a cool and pretty melody and a virtual workshop class on extended flute technique, while both the rhythm and the melody on "Gingsa Carioca" are bracingly off-kilter. The trio's discipline frays a bit with "Tempo de Amor," on which the solos are especially discursive and the rhythm especially vague, and flutist Pablo Calogero spends a bit too much time on this track showing off his multiphonics chops (note to flutists: multiphonics are impressive to other flutists but not much fun for anyone else to listen to). When Calogero switches to bass clarinet, on "Amphibious" and "December 23rd," the group's sound tightens up considerably and gains a much more solid center. It may not be a completely consistent pleasure, but
Convivência is well worth hearing. ~ Rick Anderson