Mark O'Leary, Uri Caine, Ben Perowsky - Closure (2005)

Listened to casually, the trio of guitarist Mark O'Leary, pianist Uri Caine, and drummer Ben Perowsky seems conventional, particularly in their tones. However, the performances of this bass-less trio, while at times melodic and logical, are often quite free and are consistently unpredictable. The closer one listens to Closure, the more one discovers. The pieces alternate between rock-ish explorations and moody ballads, but even during the "safer" moments, there is an element of danger in the interplay of the trio. These musicians never take it easy or rely on licks, making Closure a set well worth listening to closely.