FEATURING JOE FONDA ON BASS, BARRY ALTSCHUL ON DRUMS AND BILLY BANG ON VIOLIN, RECORDED LIVE AT THE BIMHUIS IN AMSTERDAM IN APRIL OF 2008. THIS IS FOURTH FABULOUS DISC FROM THE GREAT FAB TRIO AND LIKE THE PREVIOUS ONES, THIS ONE IS ALSO LIVE. FOR THIS DISC, THE TRIO PLAYS THREE LONG, ORGANIC AND INSPIRED PIECES. YOU CAN TELL THAT THIS TRIO HAS BEEN PLAYING AND TOURING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS SINCE THEY PLAY SO WELL TOGETHER. THE FIRST PIECE IS APPROPRIATELY CALLED "FABMUSIC OPENING" AND WITH A HOT SOLO BY BILLY BANG AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END. IN THE MIDDLE, JOE AND BARRY SOLO TOGETHER AND DO AN AMAZING JOB OF SWIRLING INTRICATELY AROUND ONE ANOTHER. THE SECOND PIECE IS QUITE LONG (NEARLY 31 MINUTES) IS IN TWO PARTS, "GO EAST" BY JOE FONDA AND "DA BANG" BY BARRY ALTSCHUL. WHILE BILLY PLAYS A SLOW, BLUESY AND EXOTIC SOLO, JOE BURNS UNDERNEATH WITH STREAMS OF BUBBLING BASS NOTES. BILLY'S UNACCOMPANIED VIOLIN IS EXQUISITE AND FEATURES BILLY'S DISTINCTIVE AND HAUNTING SOUND/APPROACH. BARRY ALTSCHUL, WHO HAS BEEN ONE OF THE CREATIVE AVANT/JAZZ DRUMMERS SINCE THE MID-SIXTIES, TAKES A LONG, IMPRESSIVE DRUM SOLO THAT ONLY AN OLD MASTER OF PERCUSSION LIKE HIMSELF COULD DO. THE FINAL PIECE "FABMUSIC CONTINUATION / SPIRITS ENTERING" IS A THOUGHTFUL, FREER EXCURSION THAT BUILDS ORGANICALLY TO A GRAND CONCLUSION. THE FAB TRIO REMAIN ONE OF THE FINEST OF ALL MODERN AVANT/JAZZ TRIOS.

BRUCE LEE GALLANTER / DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY