We recorded in November 2005 at the Cryptogramophone studios in LA, with master recording engineer Rich Breen. The whole project was completed in two afternoons. There are two suites of improvisation on this album; the Venice Suite for the trio (tracks 4-9) on which Scott plays the piano in the most wonderful way and the Brugge Suite for violin and guitar duo (tracks 10-16). There was electricity in the air.
“It's a joint production taken on by Southern California-based Cryptogramophone and the Belgian, Jazz'Halo record label by a trio that irrefutably rises to the occasion. Violinist and Crypto label chief Jeff Gauthier established a rapport with Belgian guitarist Gilbert Isbin via some California concerts and an interest in each other's artistry. Subsequently, fellow West Coast musician bassist/pianist Scott Walton was deemed the right man for the job with rounding it this wonderfully enticing and genre-hopping studio date. In effect, there's quite a bit going on under the proverbial hood.
Gauthier combines the flair of a concert violinist with dense improvisational acumen to complement the musicians' weaving of hypnotically melodic lines with richly textured themes. They often interrogate each other's voicings while occasionally mixing it up within avant-garde like frontiers. On the piece titled “Shine,” the violinist executes a sweet melody atop Isbin and Walton's bouncy undercurrents. Yet, the trio also inject moments of dissonance into the grand scenario where plots develop and ultimately morph into a regeneration of musical notions. Then on “Why Was That,” Isbin lays down a haunting ostinato as Walton subsequently stretches out with ascending lines. For the finale, the trio covers fabled song sleuth Nick Drake's “River Man.”. Finesse. EJAZZNEWS by Glenn Astarita
1. Gift to the fall
2. Invitation
3. Knomish
4. Venice suite; Ah Chez
5. Venice suite; Reflection at Maribou's
6. Venice suite; Venice in bloom
7. When all is said and done
8. Shine
9. Open mind
10. Brugge suite; Begijnhof sonnet
11. Brugge suite; In the evening
12. Brugge suite; The swan's delight
13. Why was that
14. Invocation
15. Cute movements
16. River man
Gilbert Isbin, acoustic guitar
Jeff Gauthier, violin
Scott Walton, acoustic bass/piano
