Erik Griswold/Helen Svoboda/Chloe Kim

Jim Baker/Steve Hunt/Jakob Heinemann
Horizon Scanners
Clean Feed CF 663 CD

Altering or adding to an acoustic piano’s expected timbres creates an uncommon variant of the Jazz piano trio as these discs with diverse concepts and from different continents demonstrate. Long time Chicagoan Jim Baker, who has worked with everyone from Fred Anderson to Nicole Mitchell, brings an ARP synthesizer to Horizon Scanners’ seven tracks, while Erik Griswold, who is originally from San Diego, now living in Brisbane, has collaborated with the Australian Art Orchestra, expresses himself with prepared piano on Anatomical Heart’s eight tracks

Baker works alongside drummer Steve Hunt, known for his membership in the NRG Ensemble and younger bassist Jakob Heinemann, who has worked with the likes of Mike Reed. Down Under, Griswold is joined by two other Aussies, bassist Helen Svobod, and percussionist Chloe Kim who has been featured on some of Jeremy Rose’s projects.

Acoustically, the horizon scanned by Baker, Hunt and Heinemann is varied enough to relate to many aspects of this classic lineup with the group compositions shifting among percussive rhythms, atmospheric ripples and story-telling narratives. Aside from tracks like “Halting (No) Problem, Pt. 2”, where the bassist is outlining the introduction, Heinemann’s pumps and rumbles serve to stabilize the expositions, no matter the tempo. The drummer’s rattles and thumps serve the same purpose, though elsewhere percussion slaps and rolls serve as place markers for tempo shifts. For his part Baker can focus in individual key development or a cornucopia of glissandi to make his points. Carefully worked-out patterns doesn’t mean that they can’t be used to usher in swing sections as on “Mozart”; suggest melancholy and pastoral turns; or as on “Halting (No) Problem, Pt.3”, leisurely speed up from largo interpretations to rhyming cadences which suggest a turn into Monk-like broken octaves.

The synthesizer’s arrival in the disc’s second half, adds more tension to the interpretations as squeaks, hisses, burbles and murmurs emanate from the machine. Sympathetic bass thumps and responsive drum rumbles and cymbal make their presence felt. For instance Hunt and Heinemann add necessary gravitas to “Bloom”, where the flowering of ARP slide-whistle-like peeps and fizzy undulations are prevented from weakening the exposition introduced by a double bass line. Alternately the romantism of the concluding “The Ships” is intensified by drum swishes as the bassist and pianist expose light and poised patterns.

Griswold, Svoboda and Kim also harness that sort of interactive communication, except that the stopped and jangling patterns from the prepared piano are omnipresent on the CD’s mostly brief tracks. The others extend their timbres as well. Svoboda’s arco finesse on “Bowed” for instance could be mistaken for that of a guzheng. Griswold’s key shudders resemble those of a harmonium and Kim adds distinctive percussion tones.

At the same time similar challenges as the Chicago trio faced are present for the Australians. The sprightly and rippling key strokes from the prepared piano often threaten to undermine group seriousness. On the concluding “Ripples” for example, it’s Kim’s rolls and rubs and Svoboda’s pace that preserve linear evolution, while Griswold emphasizes prestissimo sweeps. On the other hand, the pianist’s ability to source equivalent clangs from both the stopped keys and inner piano string clips create the bright swing that enlivens “Wallaby”, If not for that double bass string strokes and a jangling gong and vibes set up from the percussionist could have made the piece too reflective and precise.

That sort of connection between careful measurement and carefree swing is most prominent when the reverberation from all three instruments move simultaneously in a linear fashion. The appropriately titled “Heart String” explore one style at its greatest length as arco bass buzzes, piano soundboard reverberations and intermittent percussion pings create a slinky crepuscle theme. But the ruffs, clanks and clips on “Tremble part 2” are repeated enough to reach a simple groove, which is just as satisfying.

Adding different keyboard timbres to their instruments without altering a group’s flow and expression is what makes these sessions interesting and worth exploring.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Horizon: 1. Mozart 2. Halting (No) Problem, Pt. 1 3. Halting (No) Problem, Pt. 2 4. Halting (No) Problem, Pt. 3 5. Helv 6. Bloom 7. The Ships

Personnel: Horizon: Jim Baker (piano and ARP synthesizer); Jakob Heinemann (bass) and Steve Hunt (drums, and percussion)

Track Listing: Anatomical: 1. Anatomical Blues 2. Wallaby 3. Rock Song 4. Heart strings 5. The Mouse 6. Bowed 7. Tremble part 2 8. Ripples

Personnel: Anatomical: Erik Griswold (prepared piano); Helen Svoboda (bass) and Chloe Kim (drums and percussion)