The Eric Plaks New Trio – “Sun and Shadow” (Cadence Jazz, 2018)

“Sun and Shadow” is another one the newest avant-garde jazz album which was released today – January 10, 2018 on “Cadence Jazz Records”. Album, which has expressive and dynamic sounds, was recorded by “The Eric Plaks New Trio” – it’s Eric Plaks (piano), John Murchison (bass) and Leonid Galaganov (drums). Masterful, outstanding and dynamic playing, ability to connect many different playing styles and manners in one place, expressive, extraordinary and adventurous sound – all these elements are the main basement of these musicians improvising style. This trio is an active avant-garde and experimental jazz collective in New York scene. The musicians are also collaborating with various famous jazz and other music genres masters – Aquiles Navarro, Blaise Siwula, “The Shrine Big Band”, Fode Kouyate, Sekouba Kandia and various popular artists of West Africa, William Parker, Anais Maviel, Billy Drewes, Drew Gress, Zack Clarke and many other musicians. Expressive, striking, vivacious and dynamic sound is heard in the most part of these musicians improvisations.

This album compositions have interesting and innovative sound. Collective improvisations are based on free and spontaneous solos, have especially expressive and emotional sound. Sharp harmony, all kinds of rhythms, unusual percussion timbres, extended playing techniques and shocking methods of playing, different expressions, moods and characters – all these elements are the essential musical material of these improvisations. Eric Plaks piano improvisations are wild fast and vital. Sharp and dissonance harmony, free structure and form, memorable and vivacious melodies, unique manner of playing which is based on synthesis between experimental and modern jazz styles, create original and adventurous sound of this album. Spontaneous, interesting and expressive improvisations have especially bright, solid, intense and active sound – the melodies are full of wild fast, furious, rapid and sharp solos, dynamic rhythmic, all kinds of musical expressions, dynamics and other musical language elements gently combined in one place. Pianist expresses different moods – though the most part of his improvisations are contained from extremely speedy and expressive solos, it sudden turns out to lyrical, slow, soft and calm episodes, which are based on separate sounds and timbres. These improvisations bring original, passionate, emotional and expressive sound to the compositions. John Murchison bass improvisations also are very active, subtle, intense and have bright and solid sound. Various kinds of arpeggios, pizzicato, vibrato, rubato, staccato, glissando and other traditional playing techniques and musical expressions are masterfully fused together with extravagant and innovative ways of playing. Brave and inventive musical experiments and unusual decisions help bassist to extract many different and unusual timbres. Drums and percussion improvisations played by Leonid Galaganov, are very expressive and vital. Drummer effectively combines together energetic and loud drum rolls, virtuosic and powerful solos, unusual, gorgeous and strange sounds of percussion in one composition. All three musicians playing is highly different from each other – each musician has his own and unique improvising style and playing manner. Together these musicians create expressive, passionate, inventive and interesting sound and masterfully combine together all different music language melodies, rhythms, styles and expressions.