Jim Staley is one of the best trombonists you've never heard. His playing combines the technique of George Lewis with the playfulness of
Jack Teagarden to produce wonders on his instrument. This recording is a series of four trio groupings with elite members of New York's downtown crowd in the mid-'80s, and fairly represents some of the state-of-the-art performances at the time. Among
Staley's partners are
John Zorn (alto saxophone),
Bill Frisell (guitar),
Shelley Hirsch (vocals), and
Elliott Sharp (double-neck guitar/bass and soprano saxophone). While the novelty of these unions has paled somewhat over time, the playing is first-rate, and the self-effacing, under-recorded
Staley is featured throughout. Most of the pieces sound like snippets, without melody or linear development. Still, they are fascinating structures, both for the quality of improvisation and for capturing a slice of an important freestyle genre.