Album Notes

REVIEW from Larry Nai - "CADENCE MAGAZINE"

Who says that all "Young Lions" revere only the Blue Note label? On the evidence of this enormously impressive debut, the peach fuzz on these guys' faces has been blowin' in the wind of imprints like Soul Note, CIMP, abd ESP-Disk. "'Young' Has Ended" indeed, as one of their titles states; when the music is this good, considerations of age become moot.


I haven't been so blown away by an opening blast of free-bop since Side One, Cut One of Anthony Braxton's New York, Fall 1974. "Metropolis" building on a familiar melodic kernel, is an excellent demonstration of this trio's considerable talents. With a fabulous sense of structure and an involving tone, Tyler Summers kicks serious butt in his long alto solo. "Contemplation" and "Subterfuge" show him to have equal facility on soprano, with good pitch control, and a tone that ranges from Lacy-tart to Fasteau-round. Matt Wigton's "Patience" shows off his wiry, flexible chops on bass, supporting some hair-raising soprano moves from Summers.


On drums, Stockton Helbing plays quiet assurance,using his kit with busy intelligence. He stokes Summers' rising fire on the 15-minute "Comprimising Fate" with rolling snare and cymbal work, and kicks assertively alongside Wigton's atmospheric arco solo. Reminiscent at times of the Threadgill/Hopkins/Mcall cooperative, Air, at others of Steve Lacy's various trio's, Trinity's freshman effort deserves to be heard by anyone with an ear for creative music.