Daniel Levin Trio

It's been said that instrumental music is at its root an extension of the sounds we produce with our voices. In the title track of Daniel Levin's "Fuhuffah" (Clean Feed Records) the music began in just this way. First there was an abstract vocal sequence, which was translated to the cello, and finally, when set in trio format, the introduction of the other instruments (Ingebrigt Håker Flaten's bass and Gerald Cleaver's drumset) amplified and intensified the results. Bowed and plucked strings versus percussion: decidedly, this cello-bass-drums trio has something valuable to add to contemporary jazz music. Levin is surely one of today's masters of cello improvisation. His strong classical background was the starting point in developing his own personal jazz language, which has been enriched through his collaborations with musicians like Joe Morris, Rob Brown and William Parker, among other stars of the avant firmament. The rhythm section of the Daniel Levin Trio is the best we can dream about, and it's wonderful how Flaten combines his double bass with the violoncello - sometimes like a bass player in a traditional jazz setting, sometimes as a chamber musician would - and how Rosaly both floats above it all and fuels the music from underneath at the same time. With the Daniel Levin Trio we find subtlety, drive, and positive energy in equal measure. Amazing!