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Joe Dyson, Conun Pappas and Max Moran |
By Mark LaMaire, OFFBEAT Magazine
Despite the fact that this is the Bridge Trio’s first album, as a musical unit the group has already stunned audiences worldwide and gained a great deal of critical acclaim as the rhythm section for Donald Harrison, Jr.’s band and also performing with their mentor, the late Alvin Batiste. Reared by Batiste at the New Orleans Center For the Creative Arts (NOCCA), these three musicians are deeply connected to the roots of New Orleans music while, similar to their mentor, never shying away from taking the music in new directions. Their self-titled debut is a modern-jazz gem that spotlights a diverse range of original material played with soul, dynamism and musical sensibility.
One of the elements that sets the Bridge Trio apart from other young jazz artists is that these musicians don’t rely on their chops to impress listeners. While it’s obvious that each player has incredible dexterity on his instrument, the focus is on making music as an ensemble, gracefully weaving textures over everchanging dynamics that displays a musical maturity far beyond the band’s years. This intuitive sense has, no doubt, been fostered in the countless hours they have spent playing together on stage (and off) with Harrison and Batiste.
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