ALISTER SPENCE TRIO                                                                                                                       Fit                                                                                                                                                       Rufus RF 085

Alister Spence – pno; Lloyd Swanton – bs; Toby Hall – dms/perc. Sydney – Jan 4, 5, 2008; Jan 22, 2009

Caught in the Light/Interior System/Five Hundred Suns/Tell Between/Six Acts/Neon and Rain/Radium/Hover/Meld/Seven Hundred Street Signs/Calcium/Wash Away/Two Halves of the Moon/Fathom/Another October/Caught in the Light (reprise). [TT: 60:00]

This package consists of an hour of trio music, plus a DVD of the group. To quote the press release: “FIT launches a new project that blends (or “fits”) texture, soundscape, free improvisation, and editing, while still offering strong melody and seemingly effortless interplay, hallmark elements for these collaborators.” The companion DVD is by film artist Louise Curham set to the music… kind of a music video, I’d say! These guys are some of the best jazz musicians in the Sydney area, but this isn’t all that jazz: a mixture of new age, gamelan, a.o. sounds, it’s high quality background music… I’ll have to see the DVD to comment further. Back to you later.

OK, back again. The DVD is analogous to the old Fillmore light shows of years ago… wow, man!! Done after-the-fact with the music, they are too “strobilly” disconcerting for one my age. Glad I don’t have a pacemaker! All in all, good musicians, but not my cup of chai. For what that’s worth. Next!!

Peter B. Lowry

published: IAJRC JOURNAL: Vol 43, no 1; March 2010 – p. 68.