PAPATAMUS REDUX

SELF-PRODUCED (RECORDED DECEMBER 15, 2023)

The Loren Stillman trio is on fire on this live recording from Firehouse 12 in New Haven, Connecticut. The fire saxophonist Stillman and the trio of bassist Drew Gress and drummer Mark Ferber create is not a burning inferno of blistering notes, but a smoldering fire with embers of melodies and rhythms floating into the air. The four tunes from this session have a common element — simple melodies that are dissected, unfolded and explored by this trio that has worked together for several years. Like Sonny Rollins, Stillman builds his solo on “Waterworks” from fragments of his original melody. The Monk-like “Buffalo” has a natural flow to it thanks to the capable and creative interplay of Gress and Ferber. The remaining two tunes — “Double Double” and “Fowlkes”— further demonstrates Stillman’s writing and playing skills as well as the synergy of the trio. As in past recordings, Stillman has found a way to combine his lessons from Dave Liebman, Lee Konitz and Ted Nash into his individual sound. Konitz once said that listening to Stillman was like listening to Konitz on steroids.  If that is the case, listening to Live@Firehouse 12 is like listening to Konitz’s 1961 Motion record on steroids! Unfortunately, this fire smolders for less an 35 minutes.  Let’s hope they add more kindling for more cool heat in the near future.

BOTTOM LINE: Charles Mingus once said, “Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity. That’s exactly what Loren Stillman and this trio achieve on this live date marked by an exceptional level of creative writing playing and musical interaction.