Recorded shortly after the death of Thomas Chapin, Mario Pavone's musical soul mate, this album is as eloquent a homage to the late alto saxophonist as can be imagined. Pavone, on bass, is joined by Matt Wilson on drums and the positively hell-raising Peter Madsen on piano. This Nu Trio beautifully captures Chapin's left-of-center post-bop aesthetic, performing five Pavone originals, four Chapin pieces ("Don't Mind If I Do," "Bypass," "Insomnia," and "Aeolus"), one song by avant-garde vocalist Annette Peacock ("Miracles"), and one classic by Thelonious Monk ("Raise 4"). Whether meditating on a rubato theme, swinging playfully, or pulling out all stops on a fast tempo, Pavone, Wilson, and Madsen bring a searing intensity to the music, pushing each other to great heights. In a particularly moving gesture, they close the album with "Aeolus," the last piece that Thomas Chapin performed in public. Absolutely essential.
© David R. Adler /TiVo