Marty Trio Exaltation Ehrlich - This Time - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

There are moments when musicians need to escape artifice and the weight of metaphor in music creation. Sometimes it is best to scale down and just play with a group that makes music for pleasure or escape. Woodwind master Marty Ehrlich brought together bassist John Hébert and drummer Nasheet Waits a decade ago to create the Trio Exaltation. Together, they return to present a collection of further explorations of sound and camaraderie on their new , This Time.Of course, Ehrlich isn't a stranger to leading trios. From 1984 on, he has led or been a co-leader of a number of trios, including his group with bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Pheeroan akLaff, Relativity with Peter Erskine and Michael Formanek and C/D/E with Mark Dresser and Andrew Cyrille. Ehrlich's renewed drive toward the trio again came after a concentrated period of work with larger groups and orchestras. Feeling a need to get to the essential core of the music, Ehrlich approached former bandmates in the legendary pianist/composer Andrew Hill's Sextet, Hébert and Waits.Hébert and Waits came immediately to mind when Ehrlich decided to establish the Trio Exaltation, as he knew their depth and amazing creative capabilities. Hébert's hornlike quality on the bass made him an equal partner in improvisation along with a supportive harmonic voice. Waits's openminded approach to group playing, huge range and incredible swing made the choice of the drummer unimpeachable. Their playing and time together under the baton of Hill created a bond and an uncanny ability of finding the center of things while in performance. And Hill's presence is still felt. Additionally, This Time is dedicated to the pianist's widow, Joanne Robinson Hill. Trio Exaltation is a group that can go for it and find unique creative and emotional spaces. Their first self-titled on Clean Feed in 2018 highlighted the group's astounding interplay a