Piano Duo Trio is an avant-garde Jazz ensemble from New York City. The group features Jackson Krall on drums, John Blum and Mark Hennen on piano and various other keyboards. Regular readers of The Static Dive will recall their Some Kind of Normal record, or Mark’s solo release, appropriately titled Mark Solo. Each of three musicians have enjoyed long and storied careers, deep in the heart of the NYC Jazz scene.
On their latest release the trio has expanded their ranks to a quartet by adding renowned bassoonist, Karen Borca. The only Bassoonist who has made a mark in Avant-Garde Jazz and Free Jazz, she has enjoyed a decades-long and celebrated career.
A 1971 graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s music program, Borca studied with greats like John Barrows, Arthur Weisberg and the legendary Cecil Taylor. She also worked as Taylor’s assistant and eventually married his longtime collaborator Jimmy Lyons.
Over the years Karen Borca has played countless notable festivals and venues across the US and Europe. She was a representative of the US as a member of Canaille, an international group of women composers, which played at the Gulbenkian Art Center in Lisbon, Portugal in 1990. And she has played and recorded with some of the most important pioneers of Avant-Garde Jazz and Free Jazz
The Art of It is the brand new two track EP from Piano Duo Trio, released worldwide via all major streaming services on April 28, 2022. The record opens on the title track, a live organic freeform Jazz jam. Blum takes acoustic piano duties as Hennen mans the Fender Rhodes.
It is a beautifully recorded record. Each of the four musicians has their own space in a wonderful unaffected three dimension soundscape of natural room sounds. Each musician is in top form as the track grows progressively more experimental as it progresses. By the time the 22:47 piece concludes the Piano Duo Trio quartet has taken us on a wild (mostly) acoustic psychedelic ride.
“Roar of the Lyons’ ‘ closes the set. Whereas the title track eased its way into the jam, “Roar of the Lyons” dives headfirst into the fray. Borca’s stream of consciousness improvisation takes the lead as the rest of the trio spins a wild tapestry of sound around her, this time full acoustic. Krall wields syncopated mayhem as the four musicians explore the unknown.
Check out “The Art of It” below. You can also hear the title track on the Deep Indie Chill playlist. Or listen on your favorite streaming services. Follow the links below to connect with Piano Duo Trio. Get on their socials and get in the loop.