Pat Bianchi: Confluence

Pat Bianchi has never been content to let the organ settle into its own mythology. With Confluence, he shows that the organ trio, when in skilled hands, remains one of the most energetic formats in jazz. Joined by saxophonist Troy Roberts and drummer Colin Stranahan, Bianchi delivers a seven-track session that feels more like a late-night set in a lively club than a studio recording; urgent, honest, and full of purpose.

The opener, "It Was A Very Good Year," sets the tone with reflective gravity. Instead of lingering in nostalgia, Bianchi extends the tune towards a John Coltrane-like horizon, highlighting its emotional depth through modal vamps and long, sweeping lines. Roberts supports with a sound that is both gritty and lyrical. Stranahan energizes the ensemble with tense vitality, making the performance broad yet focused. "Jitterbug Waltz" arrives in a lively 7/4 time, its asymmetry reinterpreting the familiar melody through a contemporary rhythmic perspective. Robert's tenor introduces the theme with full-toned brio, then leans into his solo with rhythmic tension, teasing phrases across bar lines. Bianchi delineates the number's pulse with architectural clarity and explores its sharp harmonic edges. Throughout, Stranahan dances across the odd metre with deceptive ease.

On "The Song Is You," Bianchi nods to the late Joey DeFrancesco without copying him. A strong up-tempo groove is created by Stranahan's drumming. Bianchi's pulsating bass line, with his left hand outlining the theme's beat and his right hand darting across the keyboard, develops an improvisation that takes unexpected harmonic turns. Roberts' solo evolves from gentle lyricism to passionate urgency. The outcome is a well-loved standard refreshed rather than simply reimagined. Pat Bianchi's original composition "Dizzy's Dilemma" becomes more than just a quick nod to bebop lineage. Bianchi uses the piece as a testing ground as he switches between organ and keyboards. Although the tempo is brisk, nothing feels forced because there is a tensile elasticity in the groove. Starting on the organ, his pedal work is impressive, while his right hand creates nimble phrases. Roberts' tenor sound crafts long runs that rise and fall. Midway through, Bianchi switches to keyboards, creating patterns that push against the pulse without disrupting it. The piece ends with Bianchi returning to the organ, confirming that the overall performance embodies the daring spirit suggested by the title.

The final track, John Coltrane's "Wise One," is breath and shadow. The decision to record this 10.05-minute unrehearsed piece in a single take proves crucial. The composition carries an inherent weight, and the trio approaches it with a kind of collective stillness. Bianchi's contribution is nearly orchestral in texture, with softly voiced chords that bloom and then dissolve. Roberts plays with restraint, his intervals unfolding like a quiet testimony. There is a risk in this openness, but the trio's shared intuition transforms this vulnerability into transcendence. Overall, this album affirms Bianchi's goal to honour the organ's tradition while rejecting its clichés.

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