Saxophonist and composer Joe Lovano and his trio mates, stalwart pianist Marilyn Crispell and fellow Cleveland native Carmen Castaldo on drums, sally forth for the third time under the Trio Tapestry banner for Our Daily Bread. Lovato seems to be comfortable and well ensconced by now in the ECM family, not only through these brilliant recordings but through last year’s Glide Top 20 collaboration with Danish guitarist Jacob Bro, in their tribute to Paul Motian, Once Around the Room and previous collaborations with pianist Marcin Wasilewski’s trio, Arctic Riff and with trumpeter Enrico Rave on Roma. Yet, rather definitely, these trio recordings represent his most personal work. The pieces revolve around acute lyricism, refined harmonics, and judicious use of space as opposed to rhythms, which through Castaldo’s sensitive touch, are more subtle than tangible. Arguably, this outing, Our Daily Bread, leans even more into the gentle, spiritual, Coltrane-like style than its two predecessors. Our Daily Bread, like Garden of Expression (Glide 2021 Top 20) also benefits from its recording at Lugano Switzerland’s Auditorio Stelio Molo SRI studio with highly responsive acoustics, per usual, realized in Manfred Eichner’s production. Sound just doesn’t get any more crystalline than this.
So, if you’re in the “Yes, is there more from where that came from?” camp, these moody, textural, highly fluid pieces will again satisfy that craving for contemplative, pensive music, the kind that this trio has now patented. Lovano’s composes specifically for his two trio mates and it’s difficult to envision anyone else executing them. Lovano is on tenor, taragota, and gongs, opening with “All Twelve” as the trio interacts in the 12-tone context, highlighted by Crispell’s inventive chords and Castaldi’s shimmering cymbal work, in addition to Lovano’s richly toned tenor. “Grace Notes” played on tarogato, and the title track on tenor, rely on space, resonating gongs, and Crispell’s rolling arpeggios and Castaldi’s crisp cymbals and brushwork on snares as Lovano essays the kind of spiritual approach we associate with Coltrane.
These same qualities of “peaceful, non-aggressive delivery” are on display throughout, perhaps best exemplified in “Le Petit Opportune” which seems to revolve around one single chord for most of the piece. Lovano goes solo on tenor in his heartfelt, breathy Ben Webster-like tribute to former bandmate Charlie Haden in “One for Charlie” while “The Power of Three” features Crispell at her minimalist best as she opens the piece, and then proceeds to echo Lovano’s elongated notes in resonating fashion. “Rhythm Spirit” belies the title, as one might expect as the focus is deep on tones and space and no particular beat, with Crispell sitting this one out as Lovano explores the upper and lower reaches of his tenor. The title alone, “Crystal Ball,” may for many conjure Chick Corea’s famous “Crystal Silence” and indeed the mood is every bit as deeply calming and sacred even though it’s purely coincidental.
While there is a camp that prefers a more swinging or even an avant version of Lovano, he’s clearly found a rich oasis with this trio and for those who crave this highly pensive sound, Our Daily Bread is the most cohesive of these soothing, rich, ambient Trio Tapestry offerings.
