The Toronto-based trio TuneTown brings chordless vitality back to mainstream jazz. Equally led by Ernesto Cervini (drums), Kelly Jefferson (saxophones) and Artie Roth (acoustic bass), TuneTown plays catchy melodies with a loose, fun yet accomplished approach, akin to the endearing Branford Marsalis disc Trio Jeepy. It’s freedom the way freedom in jazz was considered to be before Ornette Coleman came along.
That’s the brand this trio established with There From Here (2019) and from the same sessions that produced that debut, Entering Utopia continues it. Entering Utopia will be out March 26, 2021 on a brand new jazz label, Three Pines Records, but for now, we have an advance tune for you to chew on.
“Sycamore” — a live version of which is premiering in the video above — is built on a catchy bass riff, one that dares you to try to keep from instinctively snapping your fingers. Maybe you won’t be surprised to learn that Roth wrote this one. The beat is so well implied that Cervini is able to keep a light touch on his drums for the first half until it’s time to take Jefferson’s lyrical reading up a couple of notches for a short release, then back to the original, chilled vibe.
You can pre-order/order Entering Utopia from Bandcamp and stream “Sycamore” from Spotify.
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