New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz

This group evolves in leaps and bounds. We guarantee you've never heard a jazz piano trio sound like this album--not even this band on its previous album, the much-praised World Construct. That said, there is a through line from the first Matthew Shipp Trio album, 1990's Circular Temple (reissued in 2023 on ESP) to New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz. Says Shipp, “Yes, we went there with that type of title this time. To anyone who thought the trio had reached its apotheosis on World Construct, you are in for a surprise—this is light years ahead of World Construct. Of course each CD is its own world and valuable for that, but I am in complete and utter shock at what I am listening to—New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz sounds completely thoroughly composed and yet completely spontaneously improvised at the same time. This is a major album in jazz history. Newman Taylor Baker is one of the most profound percussionists ever. Michael Bisio sounds like God's angel on this album. He has dedicated himself to working in my vision for years now and I think this might be the ultimate of how we can read each other and hook up. This is one of the greatest trio albums ever. While creating a whole new cosmos we manage to escape every cliché that exists in jazz and in avant jazz. This really might be the last trio CD because it really cannot get better than this.”

Track Listing:

1 Primal Poem              3:28

2 Sea Song                     6:24

3 The Function               7:03

4 Non Circle                  6:58

5 Tone IQ                       3:54

6 Brain System              4:53

7 Brain Work                 3:02

8 Coherent System      11:39

                                    46:21

Personnel:

Matthew Shipp, piano

Michael Bisio, bass

Newman Taylor Baker, drums
Jim Clouse, engineer
Eva Kapanadze, cover photos
Steve Holtje, producer

Recorded August 2, 2023 at Park West Studios

Press: ''Shipp's is now unquestionably the most important piano trio of its time, not so much extending the literature as starting a whole new volume. It really is that good.''—Brian Morton, The Wire

Musicians: Matthew Shipp