Bill Payne, clarinet
Eva Lindal, violin
Carol Liebowitz, piano

REVIEW OF PAYNE LINDAL LIEBOWITZ

This trio is quite an original group. It is comprised of pianist Carol Liebowitz, clarinetist Bill Payne and violinist Eva Lindal. The drawing on the inside cover is by Jeff Schlanger, an artist with a unique style, whose work with many avant-garde jazz musicians has often appeared on their albums. The trio’s music does not assault the listener, but is rather poised in the realm of a highly communicative chamber music, in which pure improvisation reigns supreme. The instruments seek each other out, the warm sound of the clarinet confronting the violin and its heterodox techniques, while the pianist provides a base that gives the trio substance, a tangible quality as an entity of spontaneous dialogue. All three musicians demonstrate a mastery of their respective instruments, with an intention to maintain a collective compactness, preventing the music from going astray. There is no shortage of fascinating moments: Unspoken, in which the violin presents itself in pizzicato, or B/E a duo between Lindal and Payne, which could be reminiscent of certain academic avant-garde moments, if not for the fact that the two were improvising and searching for new modes of expression. The long What We Are Saying, over ten minutes of invention, is richly expressive, attentive to the unfolding of the event as it materializes in the studio. In addition to the instruments, Lindal’s voice also emerges, accompanying the evolutions of her violin. The clarinet, with a stupendous and warm sound, inserts itself perfectly in these moments. Completing the message of this album is Crossing the Mojave and Into the Highlands of Arizona, a poem by Mark Weber, which is printed inside the jacket. The avant-garde of these three musicians presents itself delicately, almost tiptoeing, further captivating the listener’s interest. It is an intense album that will not go unnoticed.

Vittorio Lo Conte, musiczoom.it
May 11, 2015
translation by Lorenzo Sanguedolce