Stop-Start (SSP) highlights another group not using a pianist. Trio East features trumpeter Clay Jenkins backed by bassist Jeff Campbell and drummer Rich Thompson. The group does some pieces in AAB and others in more familiar AABA mode, but Jenkins’ pungent solos and declarative presence set a fierce tone on several numbers, one that’s more than matched by the counterpoint and interaction of Thompson and Campbell. While they do their fair share of covers, these aren’t the usual show tunes and standards. The title track for instance is a Lee Morgan number that juxtaposes a Latin beat with a hard bop feel, while Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma” also tests the threesome’s verve. Their other choices for revisions include John Coltrane’s “26-2,” Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes” and Ornette Coleman’s “Happy House,” not exactly overly performed jazz repertoire. Here’s a group that deserves at least a small share of the publicity being given to the Bad Plus, and they’re also far more grounded in the jazz sensibility.

— Ron Wynn
© Nashville City Paper, April 1, 2005