Over the course of an illustrious twenty-five-year career Rudresh Mahanthappa's music making has constantly pushed at the artistic boundaries to encompass such diverse influences as classic bebop, the ash and fury of electric fusion, and the complexities of Carnatic music, while always maintaining a clear sense of his own fiercely intelligent, uncompromising musical personality.
On 'Hero Trio', his sixteenth release as a leader/co-leader, he has moved the focus away from his own compositions to pay tribute to his greatest influences with an album of interpretations. All of the material is presented in Mahanthappa's characteristically original arrangements, and to approach them with the greatest degree of freedom and spontaneity he chose to record in trio format, enlisting the talents of long-time associates François Moutin on bass and Rudy Royston on drums.
Their effortless collective virtuosity, and the perfect attunement of their musical thinking honed over two decades of playing together, makes this album an outstanding addition to the genre.
Personnel: Rudresh Mahanthappa (alto saxophone), François Moutin (acoustic bass), Rudy Royston (drums)
Press:
"Freedom from the chords and a collective gusto gives the music a rollicking, loose-jointed feeling." - **** All About Jazz
"If this isn't a top pick by Major Jazz Magazines as one of the best of this year, they need to get their heads examined." - The Art Music Lounge
"Mahanthappa's sound on alto is as expressive as ever, and it's easy to hear the joy these three find in such disparate sources... An early contender for Album of the Year." - Denver Post
'Truly some of the most original jazz out there at the moment." - Jazziz
"One of the few artists that keeps an allegiance to the jazz tradition while also stretching into 21st Century territory." - Jazz weekly
"Not wasting a progressive note if he doesn't have to, he finds a way to mix June Carter, Ira Gershwin and Charlie Parker together seamlessly." - Midwest Record
"The fierce saxophonist fascinates with his improvisatory jags, rapid cascading runs, and edgy pressure cooker sound." - Modern Drummer
"Many delightful surprises and audacious musicianship." - Something Else
"A loving and often hard-driving tribute to his musical inspirations...Mahanthappa dances, dips, dives, roars, and purrs through a program that differs from anything he's done before." - Step Tempest
"Mahanthappa has deep history with both Royston and Moutin, and on the album he often urges them out on the ledge. The intensity of their cohesion shines..." - WGBO
1. Red Cross
2. Overjoyed
3. Barbados/26-2
4. I Can't Get Started
5. The Windup
6. Ring of Fire
7. I'll Remember April
8. Sadness
9. Dewey Square
10. Perhaps
