Our Review
Trio West consists of professional freelance musicians headed up by drummer/leader Tobias Gebb, who keeps these talented artists focused on making beautiful seasonal music on Trio West Plays Holiday Songs. This instrumental jazz is smokey, simple, and intimate.
So find a stool at the bar, wrap your hands around a single malt scotch and listen to Trio West play a dozen Christmas favorites in the dimly lit corner. The music is relatively lowkey and always lovely. I especially enjoyed god rest ye merry gentlemen with its syncopated island vibe, as well as the free-form improvisation that invaded what child is this (green sleeves). Drummer Gebb naturally goes to town on little drummer boy, which juxtaposes an almost military beat upon a mysteriously exotic piano line. The album closes with an alternate arrangement of little drummer boy that is heavy on runaway snare drum brushes and a minor piano melody line that tumbles into creative, cascading jazz stylings. So cool!
On a more mundane note, the CD itself is all black, pretending to be a vinyl LP. This fun feature underscores the retro feel of Trio West's jazz interpretations here. Fun!
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2007)
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From the liner notes:
Tobias T. Gebb - drummer, arranger, leader, producer
Eldad Zvulun - piano
Neal Miner - bass
Miles Brown - bass on tracks 1, 10, and 12
Trio West
Trio West Plays Holiday Songs
Artist link
Label: Yummyhouse Records
Length: 49 minutes
Genre: Jazz
Release: 2007
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| O Tannenbaum |
| Silent Night |
| Christmas Time Is Here |
| God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen |
| What Child Is This |
| Winter Wonderland |
| Little Drummer Boy |
| O Little Town Of Bethlehem |
| What Are You Doing New Year's Eve |
| The Christmas Song |
| I'll Be Home For Christmas |
| Little Drummer Boy (alternate arrangement) |