Search - Myra Melford :: Dance Beyond the Color

Myra Melford is one of the more challenging young pianists in jazz. Melford can play with the ferocity of Cecil Taylor, but, like Keith Jarrett, she uses space to let her songs breathe. Closer to her work in the free-ranging jazz explorations of the Same River Twice quintet (the fine Above Blue and the group's eponymous debut) than to her recent, worldly, free-jazz voyages in the Equal Interest trio, Melford's Crush is a new trio that also features bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Kenny Wollesen. For Dance Beyond the Color the three have hit upon a contemplative sound that gracefully highlights Melford's compositions. She does the lion's share of the soloing, but the trio seldom breaks apart, preferring to play as an ensemble even as it seems Melford could pull away. The band's size lends itself to such an approach, and they exude a remarkable sense of mood and musical nuance. --Tad Hendrickson