Theo Bleckmann - Refuge Trio (2008)

There are still plenty of myopic purists in the jazz world who have no use for anyone who is part of pop/rock or folk-rock, but other jazz improvisers are much more broad-minded. In fact, Refuge Trio -- an adventurous threesome consisting of Theo Bleckmann on vocals, Gary Versace on acoustic piano, accordion, and electric keyboards, and John Hollenbeck on drums, percussion, vibes and glockenspiel -- get their name from a Joni Mitchell song: "Refuge of the Road," which opens this 58-minute CD. Refuge Trio are not easy to categorize; it is probably best to described them as avant-garde jazz with a strong folk influence and elements of avant-garde classical music. This 2008 recording isn't avant-garde in an angry, confrontational way; adjectives like "blistering," "abrasive," "harsh" and "scorching" (which have often been used in connection with Ivo Perelman, Charles Gayle and late-period John Coltrane) are not applicable here. Instead, Refuge Trio have more in common with the AACM vision of avant-garde jazz, which means that they make extensive use of space (as opposed to extreme density) and would rather reflect and contemplate than confront. That holds true on their own material as well as on intriguing performances of Ornette Coleman's "Peace" (not to be confused with Horace Silver's "Peace"), Allan Holdsworth's "All Our Yesterdays" and Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso." For all its abstraction and eccentricity, Refuge Trio's album never becomes harsh or abrasive -- and they favor an inside/outside approach that is relatively melodic. This excellent album makes one hope that in the future, Bleckmann, Versace, and Hollenbeck will do a lot more collaborating as Refuge Trio.© Alex Henderson /TiVo