Joel Frahm Trio – Lumination

The Joel Frahm Trio is an offshoot of the Ernesto Cervini Quartet, itself an offshoot of Cervini’s own sextet, Turboprop. Frahm, a saxophonist based in New York, regularly frequents the Toronto scene thanks to his friendship with Cervini, a Canadian drummer based in the Queen City, also member of this band. The trio is completed by Dan Loomis on double bass. A classic jazz trio, then, well steeped in the great tradition of the genre, ranging from balladry to swing-tinged post-bop to accessible modernist expression, always well rooted in catchy rythms. Frahm, who has played with Mehldau, among others, can boast mastery of “the art of the trio,” both in form and spirit. Most of the compositions are his own, with a few left over from his friends. One senses the artistic intimacy of the three acolytes, who conduct their discourse in a very close and natural mutual understanding. This is great jazz, elegant, refined, personal, original but not extravagant, pleasant and stimulating. 

A fine lesson in musical excellence.