One Plus One Plus One Equals Trio 202
Where most small jazz groups establish a melody or theme (the so-called head) prior to passing solos from one player to the next over the course of a song, Trio 202 weave melody, harmony, and rhythm into more delicately colored and remarkably buoyant musical tapestries. Trio 202 consists of three Brazilian acoustic-instrument virtuosos -- pianist Nelson Ayres, guitarist Ulisses Rocha, and accordionist Toninho Ferragutti -- who made their US debut together last night at New York's Jazz Standard. Rather than simply ripping through melodies to get to the all-important solos, the threesome scrupulously dissolved and reconstituted such themes as Tom Jobim's "Caminhos Cruzados" (Crossed Paths) or Ferragutti's lighter-than-air "Helicóptero" (Helicopter).
Emerging as MVP over the course of the set, Ferragutti added a novel and updated lexicon of Brazilian dance music - including choro, forró, and gafiera - to the group and made his instrument sing on waltz-like originals such as "Sanfoneon." Rocha dazzled with intricate finger-picked solos (check out his fluidly rocking electric playing on his solo album Fractal, if you can find it), while Ayres seems to have one of the lightest touches in all pianodom. Like a lilting musical antidepressant, Trio 202 produce a lightheaded sense of awe at the skill and restraint this fine and fizzy extension of tropical dance music demands.
Ayres, Ferragutti, and Rocha apparently rushed back to Sao Paolo today, alas. But my source tells me they may be returning to the states in eight months. Don't miss them if they do.