Steven Lantner (Photo: Larry Volk)

The trio performed for approximately an hour, cast into three long improvised pieces. I asked Lantner if there was any kind of discussion or set list for the show, to which he replied, "The only one that had been done in some manner previously was the second one. The first was just 'medium tempo' and the third one was 'let's start kind of open.'" These vague descriptions, however, belie the sophistication with which the three musicians shape large-scale formal designs. Their interaction is so sensitive, their designs so profoundly complex, the "completeness" of their extemporaneity was a bit humbling.

The Boston-based Lantner is well schooled in the classics of the 20th Century, from the Second Viennese school to the microtonal works of one of his teachers, Joe Maneri. He often brings his considerable knowledge of the works of Arnold Schoenberg to bear in his own playing. From his selection of pungent, dissonant chords to the angularity of his melodic lines, it is often as if Lantner has thrust Schoenberg's language into a jazz context. There was also a hint of French post-War composers Messiean and Boulez in some of his most florid solos in the trio's second piece Sunday night.

Lantner shows his awareness of modern jazz pianists in his interpretations; Andrew Hill, Cecil Taylor, and Fred van Hove. Indeed, where Lantner had previously been most associated with microtonal jazz, this trio seems to be a step towards his staking a claim in more traditional (albeit modern-friendly) jazz circles. The jazz trio line-up in and of itself has a daunting history. Steven Lantner's willingness to face its challenges, all the while molding a language that both shows a studious knowledge of the past and s strong strain of individuality, was stirring to witness. I only wish that there was a grand piano available at CB's Lounge, so that we could have heard Lantner's inventive playing with the resonance and sonic quality it deserved, and that only an acoustic piano can impart. As it was, the strength of his ideas and virtuosic capabilities often made me forget that the instrument he was playing was a keyboard, not a concert Steinway.

This was my first chance to hear Morris play the upright bass live. Despite having only recently begun to record and perform live on the instrument (jazz fans will know Morris as a guitarist of demonic virtuosity), he already appears completely at home in the role of bass player. His playing serves both to spur on the considerable rhythmic vivacity of the trio's music, and to make pointed and frequent melodic incursions into the texture. Bakr is a versatile drummer, capable of driving the group forcefully and laying back in a more textural role. Even when he is not playing patterns that present a surface relationship to the beat, the underlying accents he articulates always seem to evidence a strong awareness of the underlying pulse and phrasing of whatever the ensemble is performing. This skill -- "keeping time" while not presenting any of the clichés of a "rhythm section keeping time" -- is an elusive one, possessed by both Morris and Bakr.

In fact, one of the things that struck me most about the Lantner Trio is that, while no one would mistake them for being a straight-ahead jazz unit, they really seem to swing a good portion of the time. This dichotomy between swing's rhythmic vitality and the post-tonality of their harmonic language is a an attractive one. Much like Morris-Parker-Drake's recent Riti release, Lantner, Morris, and Bakr tempt your toes into tapping and your spirit into dancing, all the while creating labyrinthine structures of considerable density.

I hadn't previously attended anything at CB's Lounge, a basement club beneath legendary rock club CBGB's 311 gallery. Way downtown on Bowery, this venue offers the Freestyle, Avant Jazz, and Other Musics series every Sunday evening starting at 7 PM. Curated by Bush Tetras drummer Dee Pop, it offers a wide range of artists from both the NY experimental music scene and elsewhere. For a modest ten dollars, you can stay for all of the evening's sets without being charged twice or thrice. This is a rarity in the NYC jazz scene, and a real treat.

CB's Lounge is a nice-sized space appointed with comfortably lived-in second hand furniture. The audience for the early set on this particular Sunday evening was small, but enthusiastic and appreciative. It seems as if CBGB's is willing to provide a haven for the experimental music community without worrying too much about more lucrative bottom line possibilities, which is refreshing and commendable. The series is an opportunity to hear some of the most interesting music going on in New York; if you're in the area, I recommend checking it out.

Article by Christian Carey. Photo provided by Steven Lantner.