MIKE MELILLO TRIO
Bopcentric (Red)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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This is possibly the most exciting, explosive trio album I've heard in the past few years. It's a recent release, though it was recorded in Rome in 1998, and of course it's on a European label; nobody in America wants to release anything this adventurous. The theme of the album is musical mavericks, with a half-dozen Herbie Nichols compositions, another half-dozen Monk tunes, and one Melillo original. The Nichols tunes are interesting enough for being works of genius by a man who was criminally overlooked in his own lifetime. A recent spate of recordings have emerged that try to right that wrong (most notably Dr. Cyclops' Dream, by The Herbie Nichols Project), but these pieces, performed in trio format with a keyboardist of astounding skill (Melillo), explore possibilities that would probably stun Nichols himself. So full is Melillo's sound that when bassist Massimo Moricone and drummer Giampaolo Ascolese gently drop out of a tune, it takes a while to realize you're listening to a single instrument. With dizzying speed and accuracy, he conjures tones, counter-tones, rich chords, timing leaps, and concentric rhythmic patterns that spark the imagination. Moricone and Ascolese provide Melillo with everything he needs to bring his vision to life. Melillo's interpretations are daring and, buyer beware, can get pretty far "out there," but for those of us who love an adventure, Bopcentric is a feast.

Track List:

(Herbie Nichols compositions): Hangover Triangle * House Party Startin' * Lady Sings The Blues * Spinning Song * The Third World * The Gig * (Mike Melillo composition): Monking Business * (Thelonious Monk compositions): Criss Cross * We See * Played Twice * Introspection * Four In One

© 2000 - DJ Johnson