The trio
Scenes, consisting of guitarist
John Stowell, bassist
Jeff Johnson, and drummer John Bishop, had been working together for nearly a decade by the time of their second recording session.
Johnson and Bishop are very familiar from working with one another in pianist
Hal Galper's trio as well, while
Stowell is a refreshing change from guitarists who hog the spotlight with busy solos, opting instead to make ample use of space.
Johnson contributed five originals. "Chariots for Anthony" is a relaxing jazz waltz. "Behind the Scenes" features
Stowell on nylon-string acoustic guitar, with the composer playing a tense arco line in its introduction before it segues into a deliberate bossa nova-flavored ballad. No explanation is given for the title to
Stowell's "Fun with Fruit" or his "Laughing River," though the former is a campy mix of styles (with
Johnson switching to electric bass), while the latter is an extended post-bop vehicle that best displays the terrific interplay of the trio.
Johnson is back on electric bass for their interpretation of
Hermeto Pascoal's "Little Church," with
Stowell making a delayed entrance on acoustic guitar. Throughout the session Bishop's sensitive drumming keeps things moving. Hopefully,
Scenes will have more frequent opportunities to record in the future, as twice a decade is hardly often enough. ~ Ken Dryden