Freestone, Tori Trio - El Barranco (CD) | Mint (M) Mint (M)

Reaching into the heart of improvised music has become second nature to British tenor saxophonist Tori Freestone and perennial colleagues Dave Manington (double bass) and Tim Giles (drums), which is again demonstrated on their second recording for Whirlwind, 'El Barranco'. Following their warmly-received 2014 release 'In the Chop House' and subsequent live appearances, the trio have relished the opportunity to reconvene in the studio to record this collection of intuitive explorations (often first takes) of predominantly original compositions, including a pair of London Jazz Festival commissions. The challenge of the wide-open chordless format is enthusiastically embraced by this trio, offering an improvisational prospect which constantly evolves, thanks to their innate ability to share ideas and spontaneously flex in new directions. Tori Freestone's characteristically voluble tenor delivery is a key factor in this artistic process: a continuous channel of flowing, tumbling lines arriving from a seemingly limitless, spring-like source; and the quicksilver responses and diversions of both Manington and Giles are so genuinely realised. All of this combines in creating delightful group unpredictability, via a mutual, carefully crafted musical vocabulary, which happily hovers on the periphery of delineated structure. Personnel: Tori Freestone (tenor saxophone, violin & vocals), Dave Manington (double bass), Tim Giles (drums)

• Media Condition: Mint (M)
• Sleeve Condition: Mint (M)
• Format Detail: CD Digipack
• Format: CD
• Label: Whirlwind Recordings
• Catalog Number: CD-WWR-4689