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No Base Trio — NBT II
(Bandcamp no#, 2022, CD / DL)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2022-10-18

NBT II Cover art

No Base Trio is a Puerto Rican band consisting of Jonathan Suazo (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, and EWI), Gabriel Vicéns (electric guitar), and Leonardo Osuna (drums) who play completely improvised music. I have to be honest and say that it took me several days to listen to the seven tracks with the creative track titles “ST(1),” “ST(2),” “ST(3),” etc. Each track is different and takes a dedicated listener to pay attention.  “ST(1)” is a dreamlike improvisation that leaves you feeling like you’ve been in stasis for eleven minutes. “ST(2)” is based on scraping glissando guitar strings, if that makes sense, rambling percussion, and short saxophone note clusters. “ST(3)” is a combination of drumming and rhythmic synth overlaid by noodling saxophone. “ST(4)” is a slow improv of  strumming and clanging chords plus flute noodling that sounds aimless. “ST(5)” is an abstract piece clocking in at almost 21 minutes that made me think of King Crimson’s errie passages from “Moonchild.” “ST(6)” continues in this abstract vein, and the album closes with another lengthy, almost 29 minutes, track “ST(7)” that made me think of Carl Sandburg’s poem “Fog”

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

 

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

This final amorphous track is the easiest on the album to enjoy and immerse yourself. If you are looking for an avant-garde musical excursion, then check out NBT II.

Filed under: New releases, 2022 releases

Related artist(s): No Base Trio, Gabriel Vicéns

More info
http://nobasetrio.bandcamp.com/album/nbt-ii

 

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