Trio Apoplectic are on their 5th tour. Recent outings were to White Eagle, but this one was to the Gods for Geoff Page’s annual series. Trio Apoplectic are Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass) and Alex Masso (drums). I know them as a demanding but satisfying outfit, with the open, minimal, chordless sound of a sax trio. The chordless trio format allows considerable leeway for all players and flexibility in statements of harmonies and counterpoint. Their music is modern and often difficult, and their statements of harmonies are not always too obvious, so I was surprised when they opened with a favourite standard, There will never be another you, played with a fairly mainsteam approach. But it segued into free playing, strummed bass and the like, and we were in familiar territory. There were some original tunes I recognised: Dynamite, Saturday arvo, Details of how to get APOPLECTIC on your number plate. They seem to like Monk (they also play Boo Boo’s Birthday on their album and live) so Rhythmaning was no surprise. There was also a tune dedicated to Bernie McGann: The last postman, by Tony Gorman. The audience was small and subdued and the band was only at the start of its tour. But we always expect an interesting and challenging night with this modern outfit, and it was. Click on the labels below for earlier TA reports.
Trio Apoplectic are on their 5th tour. Recent outings were to White Eagle, but this one was to the Gods for Geoff Page’s annual series. Trio Apoplectic are Dave Jackson (alto sax), Abel Cross (bass) and Alex Masso (drums). I know them as a demanding but satisfying outfit, with the open, minimal, chordless sound of a sax trio. The chordless trio format allows considerable leeway for all players and flexibility in statements of harmonies and counterpoint. Their music is modern and often difficult, and their statements of harmonies are not always too obvious, so I was surprised when they opened with a favourite standard, There will never be another you, played with a fairly mainsteam approach. But it segued into free playing, strummed bass and the like, and we were in familiar territory. There were some original tunes I recognised: Dynamite, Saturday arvo, Details of how to get APOPLECTIC on your number plate. They seem to like Monk (they also play Boo Boo’s Birthday on their album and live) so Rhythmaning was no surprise. There was also a tune dedicated to Bernie McGann: The last postman, by Tony Gorman. The audience was small and subdued and the band was only at the start of its tour. But we always expect an interesting and challenging night with this modern outfit, and it was. Click on the labels below for earlier TA reports.
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Samo