FRANK HARRISON TRIO REVIEW
REVIEW – by Trudie Squires
BROUGHT in at short notice to replace ailing guitarist Louis Stewart, saxophonist Julian Arguelles proved an admirable replacement to guest with pianist Harrison's superb trio. Argüelles, a highly respected player on the international jazz scene, played with a gorgeous full tone, producing a cool laid back sound. He has toured with the trio in the past and his empathy with the other players, especially with bass player Aidan O'Donnell was almost telepathic in the way they thought up and swapped phrases instantly. Harrison's piano style was intensely melodic, constructing his improvisations along finely crafted lines. He was responsible for the group's original compositions, which included delicate ballads and intriguing bossas; nothing brash or aggressive but like his piano style, highly melodious. Bassist O'Donnell was another superb technician; his solos were a delight; his tone rich and woody. Drummer Stephen Keogh was a splendid timekeeper, completely unobtrusive, with subtle whispering brushwork and mercurial percussion. The group's cohesion and depth glowed, especially on numbers like the jazz standard Autumn Leaves, which was disassembled and reassembled like a musical jig-saw with great contributions from all four musicians. Another standard, Everything I Love, found Argüelles in devastating form, with a seemingly endless flow of ideas.
