Barely taking in time to soak in the plaudits for his exciting Consentrik Quartet earlier in 2025, it’s now come to light that Nels Cline has already since helped to create a new small group that should generate just as much excitement. The Trio of Bloom is the elite guitarist collaborating with elite keyboardist Craig Taborn and elite drummer Marcus Gilmore…which makes the term “supergroup” no hyperbole at all in this instance.
The Trio Of Bloom is the latest brainchild from David Breskin, a writer, poet and producer who had previously worked with all three musicians (especially Cline), and since Cline, Taborn and Gilmore have never worked creatively together before, he served as the link among them. They laid down tracks and the self-titled album is coming soon.
Trio of Bloom isn’t even the first supergroup trio of avant-jazz heavies Breskin instigated: the Bill Frisell/Marvin Gibbs/Ronald Shannon Jackson union Power Tools came together at his urging as well, and likewise blurred genre boundaries nearly forty years ago.
It’s perhaps too soon to opine too much on how Trio of Bloom’s mission otherwise deviates from Power Tools, but going by the advance single “Queen King” presented above, the groove is a part of their trick bag.
A funky, unfailing 6/4 Afrobeat pulse and Cline’s round bass figure over a single chord vamp, the Cline tune is actually a re-write of his “King Queen” composition he recorded with the Nels Cline Singers. Taborn is heard riffing around on his keyboards and Cline’s guitar finally releases the hounds about six minutes in, then settles back into theme consisting of a few tasty unison lines with Taborn.
Trio of Bloom (Pyroclastic Records) is scheduled to go out September 26, 2025. Pre-order/order Trio of Bloom from Bandcamp.
*** Nels Cline CD’s and vinyl on Amazon ***
*** Craig Taborn CD’s and vinyl on Amazon ***
*** Marcus Gilmore CD’s and vinyl on Amazon ***
