Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

More than the sum of its parts: TrioKinesis @ The Studio

Last night, the cooperative sounding venture known as TrioKinesis delivered two solid sets of post-Coltrane jazz to a small, but captivated audience at Athenaeum Jazz at the Studio.

TrioKinesis proved to be the ultimate equilateral triangle of improvising dynamics. Although saxophonist Eric Person is the most well-known of the three, it was hardly a matter of just sax plus rhythm-section.

Double bassist Joseph Lepore brought me back to the "old-school" aesthetics of solid, independent time, gorgeous, full-tone, and the ability to create lines that resonate in your head.

Drummer Shinnosuke Takahashi was a constant force of inventive delight --a master at volatile poly-rhythms and nuanced dynamics, Takahashi kept a tight stare directed at his band-mates the entire evening--exhibiting a laser-like focus on their intentions.

Lepore began the music alone, with a slippery, singing tone--concentrating on the gravity of open strings and thick double-stops. When he settled on an ostinato--Person's soprano and the kinetic energy of Takahasi's drums filled the room. The saxophonist has developed an admirably unique approach to the straight horn--trilling and bending notes to sculpt the pure intensity of the relentless bass and the drummer's ability to evoke both Elvin Jones and Rashied Ali in motion.

The great thing about this unit is how they are able to transform materials that in the hands of others have become clichés, like the Latin vamp that began Person's "Silver & Gold," into a highly personal language that transcends such devices. Lepore's fierce and muscular lines tethering the groove underneath Takahashi's wicked poly-rhythmic assault and Person's patient melodic abstractions.

Person constructs his solos, (primarily on alto--save for two pieces), carefully--never in a hurry, and always filled with layered thematic variations. He generally avoids screaming and the altissimo register of his horn--making those occasional gestures all the more effective.

On "Beauty Beyond," the spiritual vibrations were set in motion early with the free rubato intro and dramatic soft-mallets-on-skins before Person's dream-like incantation paused to sputter and purr. While Takahashi stroked the drum surfaces with bare hands, Lepore drew from deep lines to sketch a complete story in a solo that brought the great Jimmy Garrison to mind.

Over frantic walking bass, Person hung a vaguely Middle-Eastern tapestry to frame a piece written for the drummer, "Shin." I had never heard of Takahasi before this evening--but his name is burned in my memory banks now. He somehow managed to dial up cycling waves of constant propulsive motion with remarkably pure distillations of ride cymbal pings--always aiming for the heart of the groove.

Over the course of two sets, Person, Lepore and Takahashi approached the developments of the '60s and brought them into bold, modern improvising that made use of dynamics and energy and deep listening.

It was exciting from start to finish--and one of the most rewarding night's of music I can recall.

Photo by Barbara Wise

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Live Five: Sitting On Stacy, Matte Blvck, Think X, Hendrix Celebration, Coriander

Alt-ska, dark electro-pop, tributes, and coastal rock in Solana Beach, Little Italy, Pacific Beach
Next Article

Syrian treat maker Hakmi Sweets makes Dubai chocolate bars

Look for the counter shop inside a Mediterranean grill in El Cajon

Last night, the cooperative sounding venture known as TrioKinesis delivered two solid sets of post-Coltrane jazz to a small, but captivated audience at Athenaeum Jazz at the Studio.

TrioKinesis proved to be the ultimate equilateral triangle of improvising dynamics. Although saxophonist Eric Person is the most well-known of the three, it was hardly a matter of just sax plus rhythm-section.

Double bassist Joseph Lepore brought me back to the "old-school" aesthetics of solid, independent time, gorgeous, full-tone, and the ability to create lines that resonate in your head.

Drummer Shinnosuke Takahashi was a constant force of inventive delight --a master at volatile poly-rhythms and nuanced dynamics, Takahashi kept a tight stare directed at his band-mates the entire evening--exhibiting a laser-like focus on their intentions.

Lepore began the music alone, with a slippery, singing tone--concentrating on the gravity of open strings and thick double-stops. When he settled on an ostinato--Person's soprano and the kinetic energy of Takahasi's drums filled the room. The saxophonist has developed an admirably unique approach to the straight horn--trilling and bending notes to sculpt the pure intensity of the relentless bass and the drummer's ability to evoke both Elvin Jones and Rashied Ali in motion.

The great thing about this unit is how they are able to transform materials that in the hands of others have become clichés, like the Latin vamp that began Person's "Silver & Gold," into a highly personal language that transcends such devices. Lepore's fierce and muscular lines tethering the groove underneath Takahashi's wicked poly-rhythmic assault and Person's patient melodic abstractions.

Person constructs his solos, (primarily on alto--save for two pieces), carefully--never in a hurry, and always filled with layered thematic variations. He generally avoids screaming and the altissimo register of his horn--making those occasional gestures all the more effective.

On "Beauty Beyond," the spiritual vibrations were set in motion early with the free rubato intro and dramatic soft-mallets-on-skins before Person's dream-like incantation paused to sputter and purr. While Takahashi stroked the drum surfaces with bare hands, Lepore drew from deep lines to sketch a complete story in a solo that brought the great Jimmy Garrison to mind.

Over frantic walking bass, Person hung a vaguely Middle-Eastern tapestry to frame a piece written for the drummer, "Shin." I had never heard of Takahasi before this evening--but his name is burned in my memory banks now. He somehow managed to dial up cycling waves of constant propulsive motion with remarkably pure distillations of ride cymbal pings--always aiming for the heart of the groove.

Over the course of two sets, Person, Lepore and Takahashi approached the developments of the '60s and brought them into bold, modern improvising that made use of dynamics and energy and deep listening.

It was exciting from start to finish--and one of the most rewarding night's of music I can recall.

Photo by Barbara Wise

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Schachter Seven live at Dizzy's

Next Article

TrioKinesis: Athenaeum Jazz at the Studio, June 2

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader