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Track Listings
| 1. Chase |
| 2. Wrestle |
| 3. Blues For The Space |
| 4. The Gentle War |
| 5. Cute |
| 6. Sync |
| 7. Shut Up |
| 8. Not According To Plan |
Product Description
Review
What’s in a name? This Australian piano, bass and drums trio began life as Misinterprotato. Curiously, their website and Amazon still list The Gentle War under that group name. However, the threesome is now invariably known as Trichotomy, the name under which they toured the UK in 2010. The Gentle War is their second album on Naim, the follow-up to the well-received Variations.
Before abandoning the name issue, it is worth noting that Trichotomy is a fitting name for this trio, as it emphasizes the equal interdependence of its components. The three never sound like a standard piano trio, with bass and drums as a supporting rhythm section. Instead, all three contribute equally to the group’s music, with no obvious hierarchy of esteem.
Unfortunately, Trichotomy tend to be mentioned alongside trios like The Necks, EST and The Bad Plus. Such comparisons give an idea of Trichotomy’s class but not of their musical style. Increasingly, the group is developing a unique sound, based on that three-way participation. Sean Foran’s fluent piano playing is prominent, but just to focus on that would be to miss out on two-thirds of the group’s music.
The eight tracks on The Gentle War are all originals, six by Foran and two by drummer John Parker. The pieces contain considerable contrasts, balancing melody and rhythm, and blurring the boundary between composed music and improvisation. Tempos and energy levels vary dramatically from track to track, sometimes even within a single track.
Foran’s Chase sets the tone for much of the album. Very danceable, it has a catchy melody and a brisk tempo generated by Pat Marchisella’s articulate bass and Parker’s use of brushes and cymbals. By comparison, Blues for the Space is more sedate, placing greater emphasis on the piano. Subtle coloration from bass and drums help make it dramatic and effective.
The episodic title-track is just as dramatic, opening quietly and slowly building momentum. But, on a wonderfully unpredictable album, the biggest surprise comes from Parker’s Shut Up. Its heavier, riff-driven sound features rumbling bass and drums to the fore. An album without a dull moment!
--John Eyles
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
BBC Music Magazine
"The playing is as impressive and intense as the more reflective numbers as on the rumbustious ones. This is a genuine trio, with three equally important parts, and they never put a foot or finger wrong"
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Music Of Mind and Matter,
By
This review is from: The Gentle War (Audio CD)
Trichotomy are an Australian trio. 'The Gentle War' is theirsecond album. 'Variations' (2010) was their first and you may well wish to hear that recording too if, like me, you enjoy this one. Sean Foran plays piano; Pat Marchinalla plays bass and John Parker manages the drums. The fluid interplay between the sum of their parts delivers eight numbers which ably demonstrates their technical prowess and emotional dexterity in music of tantalizing complexity. So. Jazz it is. Jazz with a highly refined lyrical sensibility. Mr Foran is a very good pianist. It's always a tad hard to know just how much lays inside and outside the structure of pieces like this. One senses the presence of formal parameters but in- between the four walls of each arrangement there are daring improvisational flourishes which spin in the air like fireworks. Standout track is the beautifully dark 'Blues For The Space'. A langourous theme and variations which sounds a lot like breathing. Despite minimal dynamic development the music makes its mark through a hypnotically repeated lietmotif of dreamlike simplicity. Title track 'The Gentle War' is a different kettle of fish altogether. The piece is a busy and unsettled journey; from dark to light, to light and dark again. Mr Marchisella delivers a mercurial bass solo before we are thrown into the staccato splendours of the main subject. Underpinned by a subtle latin rhythm it refuses nonetheless to move in a predictable direction and is all the more captivating because of it. Final track 'Not According To Plan', after a reflective (almost static) introduction moves step by step into a busier emotional landscape. Mr Foran holds on hard to the reins and doesn't allow the piece to fly out of control. Its somewhat chilly heart, like the love between two librarians, holds back from any hope of a tidy romantic resolution. Trichotomy are a fine example of what it is possible to achieve when egos are subsumed in a true democracy of tried and trusted teamwork. Highly Recommended.
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