Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley & Brian Blade Return With “Tokyo,” Their Most Adventurous Trio Album Yet
The formidable jazz trio of guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade have returned with a new album called Tokyo on ECM Records. The group’s third recording also proves to be their most adventurous, ranging from folk-infused tunes to “oblique chamber jazz” and twangy rock and roll. Each member of the group is a star in their own right, but their chemistry makes a unified sound
“Everything is connected in this trio,” says Wolfgang. “It’s never about a solo-trip, but everything intertwined, forming one single narrative. And it’s interactive – a constant conversation. That’s what I love about playing with these guys.”
As the album title suggests, the ten-song collection was recorded in Japan, where the trio has toured extensively. Their rapport is evident in the musical risks they take across the album. For instance, the album begins with a version of Keith Jarrett’s “Lisbon Stomp,” which showcases the near-telepathic connection between Muthspiel and Colley.
“After Keith’s theme, it’s concrete time and free changes. This way of inventing harmonic progressions in the moment, together with Scott, is something we have cultivated and deepened over the years,” the guitarist explains.
Aside from his fluid bass lines and solos, Colley gets to take the melody on several tunes. Watch the trio’s magic in action during this studio video of “Roll,” with Colley providing the head. In the middle of the song, Muthspiel takes his own stab at the low end.
“[I play] Jaco (Pastorius)-like basslines on guitar, while Scott’s bass parts work like a horn section,” he explains, adding that he wrote the song with “Memories of Keith vamps on the one hand and Weather Report on the other.”
Tokyo is available now digitally via Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more. A CD edition will ship in October.
Tokyo Track Listing:
- Lisbon Stomp
- Pradela
- Flight
- Roll
- Christa’s Dream
- Diminished and Augmented
- Traversia
- Strumming
- Weill You Wait
- Abacus
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
