Daniel Levin (Vc), Tony Malaby (tsax), Randy Peterson (dr)
Levin/Malaby/Peterson are a trio of improvisors who can be both daring and extra subtle. Levin leads improvisation workshops for string players and he's been keen to push toward a more egoless place of exploration, where musical invention can happen uninhibited by one's sense of style, rules or tradition. Arizona-raised Malaby is a big guy with a big-sounding horn, but he's been taking interesting approaches to blending in and fading back in ensemble settings while cultivating a specific worked-out vocabulary on the saxophone. Drummer Peterson does an impressive job of allowing time to breathe, without actively destabilizing the flow. The interplay between the three should be nuanced and melodic, with plenty of textural complexity to keep one alert.
Daniel Levin graduated with a degree in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music, and arrived on New York City jazz scene shortly therafter. He has performed and/or recorded with Billy Bang, Borah Bergman, Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Gerald Cleaver, Ken Vandermark, and many others. Daniel is the recipient of a 2010 Jerome Foundation award. He has released more than 20 albums as a leader or co-leader, on Clean Feed, HatOLOGY, Not Two, Trost, Riti, and other labels.
Tony Malaby has been permanently based in New York since 1995 and has been a member of many notable jazz groups including Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra, Paul Motian's Electonic Bebop Band, Mark Helias' Open Loose, Fred Hersch's quintet and Walt Whitman project, Mark Dresser quartet, and bands led by Mario Pavonne, Bobby Previte, Tom Varner, Marty Ehrlich, Angelica Sanchez and Kenny Wheeler. His debut cd "Sabino"(Arabesque) made the NY Times and Philadelphia City Paper's top ten jazz lists for 2000. He has two brand new releases: "Adobe" on the French label Freelance featuring Drew Gress and Paul Motian, and "Apparitions" on the Songlines label featuring Tom Rainey,Mike Sarin, and Drew Gress. Tony leads serveral projects of his own including: APPARITIONS featuring: Drew Gress, Tom Rainey and Mike Sarin. The Tony Malaby Trio, featuring Drew Gress and Paul Motian. Sabino, featuring: Michael Formanek, Tom Rainey, and Marc Ducret
Randy Peterson is best known for his drumming in various contexts with free jazz saxophonist/clarinetist Joe Maneri and his son Mat, a violist. Peterson's style is often rather relaxed and episodic, in that his drum hits come in flurries. It's as if he conceives his playing in terms of sets of phrases with clear beginnings and ends, even though most of his playing is metrically free. Peterson's first high-profile recording was Joe Maneri's Let the Horse Go, recorded in 1993 and released in 1995. Since then he has played on a variety of Maneri recordings, including several Joe Maneri records on the Leo, Hat and ECM labels, and a number of Mat Maneri albums. 2002 also saw the release of the Maneri Ensemble's Going To Church, a sextet album featuring both Joe and Mat along with Peterson on drums. Since the 1990s, Peterson has also appeared live with the Maneris in various contexts. Since 1998, Peterson has appeared alongside bassist Nate McBride on two albums by pianist Pandelis Karayorgis; in 2002, Peterson surfaced on another Karayorgis album, this time with Mat Maneri, saxophonist Tony Malaby and bassist Michael Formanek.
Scott Clark keeps time in the balance. His performances behind the kit are generous and empathetic, establishing his voice immediately upon striking the surface. It is rare to find art that is both formally rigorous and aesthetically vital, but Clark thrives in this project, engineering frameworks for lucid, active songs, drawing on the performances of his collaborators and the weight of his subject matter.