Ross McHenry Trio – The Outsiders LP UK Import 1st Press Print Inner Sleeve Mint

Description: Ross McHenry Trio – The Outsiders LP UK Import 1st Press Printed Inner Sleeve Mint The Outsiders may be the third solo album by the Shaolin Afronauts' bassist and bandleader Ross McHenry for First Word, but it marks the debut from his fine trio that includes fellow Adelaidean pianist Matthew Sheens and New Zealand's Myele Manzanza on drums. This is a "fusion trio" in that they juxtapose jazz harmonics, timbral exploration, and syncopation with rock and funk rhythms. But McHenry's compositions are rooted in explosions of color, disciplined dynamics, and glorious rhythmic invention. The crystalline post-bop in "It's Not How I Remembered It" offers deft exchanges between Sheens' left-hand ostinati and Manzanza's cymbal and snare work that go right at the melody. McHenry's electric bassline, however, moves around, propping up this chord change sequence and that percussion fill, ultimately enveloping them both. "Us and Them" commences with a telegraph-key-styled piano line, one note played repetitively as the drums and bass dance around it until the changes emerge. The dynamic remains the same but the pianist enters a knotty exchange with his bandmates and comps as they each emerge for musically divergent solos. By the time we reach the three-part title suite, introduced by Sheens' bluest piano phrasing, it becomes obvious that these compositions function more like sonatas in classical music -- if they were designed for an entire trio. Jazz, rock, classical, folk, and blues all mingle, slip slide, and slither in a unified whole that is long on surprises and deft musicianship. In the final section, McHenry's bassline rumbles like Percy Jones of Brand X, but his bandmates expand on his lines rather than try to rein him in. The Outsiders stands apart from virtually everything else out there. It will appeal equally to fans of the Bad Plus, Brad Mehldau's experimental side, Kamasi Washington, and even Derrick Hodge, but doesn't adhere to any of their formulas. This is strictly Antipodean jazz, influenced by the multitude of sounds, musics, and lineage traditions that coexist in their collective environment. (Manzanza's father Sam is a legendary Congolese drum master who taught his son well.) The set emerges as a mysterious, joyous amalgam of unified sounds that doesn't so much reflect musical traditions as explore the untended spaces around and beyond them. McHenry has been a cult figure for some time, but with his trio on The Outsiders, that's likely to change. This is among the finest jazz releases of 2017 for the freshness of its approach and its sophisticated, balanced execution.

Price: 26.99 USD

Location: Portland, Oregon

End Time: 2025-01-17T19:42:36.000Z

Shipping Cost: 4.63 USD