Settles, Brian Trio – “Folk” – [Engine Studios]

Thurston Hunger   3/14/2014   CD, Jazz

Really sweet and in sync trio. It starts jumping right into
the “Rivers”, it almost feels like you opened a door on
the jazz bar at the back of your mind. Mid-stream with
a super fluid bass line rolling back and forth. All comps
by Wash DC’s Settles, playing tenor exclusively here.
“Sipho” (track 2) has a bittersweet tinge to its melody,
but with some more joyous play between the bookends. Next
two feel like companion pieces, Settles plies a great sort
of sonic apostrophe, where the piece pushes a line then hangs
for a count, “Orbit” in particular pulls you in with a slappy
upright bass break by Corcoran Holt. Rubberband rhythms rule!
The trio is completed by drummer Jeremy Carlstedt, great brush
work and cymbals, maybe lost a little in the mix at times,
but well worth pressing your ears to the speakers. KFJC has
been adding a lot of jazz lions as of late, and backfilling
some of our missing releases, but this is a fine example of
a modern trio that deserves to be heard now and in the future.
Settles is a young lion that can roar, but when he’s carrying
and expanding a tune, he’s leading his own pack.

-Thurston Hunger