Geof Bradfield, Ben Goldberg, Dana Hall Trio General Semantics LP (Vinyl)

TAS Rated 4.5/5 Music, 4/5 Sonics in the April 2021 Issue of The Absolute Sound!

The collaborative trio of Ben Goldberg (clarinet, contra alto clarinet), Geof Bradfield (soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet) and Dana Hall (percussion) explores new directions on General Semantics. Their Delmark Records debut features original music by the trio as well as unique interpretations of Duke Ellington, Cecil Taylor and Hermeto Pascoal. The unusual instrumentation - especially the lack of a bassist - enables the musicians to transcend traditional instrument roles of accompaniment, improvisation and interaction, and create music that embraces form and harmony alongside freedom and spontaneous improvisation.

How these three players found time to reinvent themselves as such a satisfyingly synergistic trio is anyone's guess, but they have produced one of the best jazz records of 2021. The fact that both horn players double on bass members of the clarinet family opens up myriad arranging possibilities, and Hall's ability to deeply feel time in every way from a marching band to swing to free jazz makes him just as versatile as the reed players.