When seeing BEATrio in concert, drummer Antonio Sanchez, who positioned himself as the project’s leader, rather offhandedly quipped, “Banjo, harp, drums…what the hell is that?” It may be one of the most unlikely trio configurations ever witnessed. Still, the audience responded to their live performance with one of the warmest, enthusiastic responses I’ve ever heard. This kind of trio benefits from a live show, perhaps more than most, because one can see firsthand how harpist Edmar Castañeda uses his left hand to play the bass, with that sound channeled through a bass amp. In contrast, he uses his right to harmonize with banjo maestro Béla Fleck. Besides, Castañeda is the most flamboyant member of the trio. One can also zoom in on Fleck’s impeccable picking and Grammy-winning drummer, Sanchez, one of today’s best drummers. B(Bela) E(Egmar) A(Antonio) have cleverly called themselves BEATrio.
Fleck claims that initial audience curiosity reminds him of the early days of the Flecktones when many didn’t know how to reconcile jazz with bluegrass. All three compose pieces which lean largely toward jazz with Fleck injecting a couple with ‘bluegrass energy.’ Fleck takes credit for five, Sanchez and Castañeda two each, and two co-written by the banjoist and harpist. They are yet another testament to the cross-cultural connections only made possible through music. Fleck is now based in Nashville, and although both Castañeda and Sanchez reside in New York, the former is from Colombia and the latter from Mexico City.
Sanchez’s natural gift for rhythm is the constant that binds this trio together. However, the drummer states that Castañeda is the ‘glue between the banjo and the drums’ because of his left and right-hand responsibilities. As on the collaboratively written opener “Archipelago,” you’ll hear Fleck in the lead with the harpist’s harmonic plucking remarkably well connected, Sanchez accenting the melodic runs with well-timed cymbal flourishes along the way. Both string instruments solo on Fleck’s “Pellucidar,” which begins with a series of speed-defying runs from Fleck that settle into an improvised middle section that leaves us wondering which direction they will take next, only to have Fleck resume his rapid picking. Sanchez’s “Kaleidoscope” shows how well the three listen to each other as the conversation seems to run three ways, each taking it up a notch as the piece unfolds. Castañeda’s “Countryside” finds Fleck in bluegrass mode, with Castañeda easily keeping pace vigorously through the shifting tempos that blend the genres.
The collaborative “Cloak and Dagger” melody has a pop sheen, almost as if a vocalist might appear at any moment. No matter how many times and in whatever context we hear Fleck, the sounds he coaxes from his five-string are as amazing as his dexterous technique. Here, his dialogue with Sanchez at the last minute and a half is especially noteworthy. Castañeda’s “Whispers of Resilience” begins with the harp and echoes from drums in a highly dramatic score that moves along deliberately and cinematically. When Fleck joins, the trio latches onto a groove and gallops to a final section that reprises the opening. Fleck’s “coda” resembles the music he laid on Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions. His “Walnut and Western” is a tune he’s had for years but only recorded now. It has an uplifting melody and offers vibrant three-way interaction.
Sanchez’s “Three Is Not a Crowd” gives the drummer a chance to display his considerable chops, relatively constrained here versus lengthy soloing in live performance. Fleck’s lengthy “Hooligan’s Harbor” offers trio and individual conversations, building in intensity as it unravels. His closer, “Touch and Go,” as you might guess, charges along in blistering fashion.
Seeing this trio live, or at least on video, is practically imperative. As strong as this music is, the visual component amplifies it considerably.
