George McMullen Trio: Boomerang

         I’ve had a soft spot for a trombone, bass and drums trio ever since I first heard Albert Mangelsdorff with Elvin Jones and Palle Danielsson on 1975's The Wide Point. That feeling was reinforced by the long-running BassDrumBone trio. The trombonist/leader of the George McMullen Trio has been gigging around California since the early Nineties, notably in a succession of large ensembles led by Vinny Golia. Boomerang with bassist Nick Rosen and percussionist Alex Cline is his first release as a leader. They jump right out for the jaunty title track, the first of seven McMullen compositions that share the space with four group improvisations. It’s abundantly clear from the first bar that these three gents are deeply attuned to one another, with an enticing, finger-snapping bounce that grabbed me right away. Solos by each player introduce their individual sounds, in a time-honored strategy for opening tracks. McMullen has the smooth, clear sound of a modern trombonist, with little hint of the gritty and growling approach so common in the early days of jazz. Bassist Rosen’s solo is lyrically and rhythmically astute, keeping the flow going with quiet commentary from Cline, a distinguished percussionist who’s built a solid and varied discography since his earliest recordings back in 1977. Rosen is a new name to me, but on the basis of his work here, I hope to be hearing a lot more from him. Cline takes a succinct solo before bringing the trio back to the theme. Follow the Bouncing Ball is an impressive display of group cohesion as the tempo keeps shifting. The piece starts out with a quickly limned theme, then slows way down for the start of McMullen’s beautifully articulate solo before speeding up again. Once again, Rosen takes an effectively emotional solo. The first of the improvs follows, Earth Mystery. The short track is an exercise in slowly moving long tones, with McMullen’s carefully held notes, Rosen wielding his bow and Cline concentrating on his cymbals. I Loved Her Laugh is a bittersweet ballad that features McMullen’s thoughtful trombone, steeped in regret and loss, with Rosen’s brief solo maintaining the mood. From the title, I was expecting The Open Gate to have a lot of energy, but instead it’s rather laid-back, opening with a Cline drum solo before meandering along without much resolution. The three-way call-and-response structure of Improv II; Air Currents leads them to another brief exploration of the sonic possibilities of this lineup. It also serves as a lead-in to Geonomic Preview, with an upbeat theme that has Rosen and Cline in a tight lock while McMullen glides and soars on top. Rosen’s solo is a beaut, at once sensitive and robust. The lachrymose Waiting is another tender ballad, with McMullen’s expressively subdued trombone leading the way. A rapturous bass solo by Rosen opens Dirty Stinking Lowdown Cryin’ Shame, a sort of altered blues featuring Cline’s off-kilter drumming and McMullen’s modern gloss on old-school trombone playing. The last of the group improvisations, Fire, Dancing, offers some exciting free-wheeling interactions, bringing this largely enjoyable set to a satisfying conclusion. Recommended.
pfMENTUM PFMCD120; George McMullen (tb) Nick Rosen (b) Alex Cline (d, perc); West Los Angeles, CA, August 16, 2015; Boomerang/ Follow the Bouncing Ball/ Improv I; Earth Mystery/ I Loved Her Laugh/ The Open Gate/ Improv II: Air Currents/ Geonomic Preview/ Waiting/ Improv III; Prairie Wind/ Dirty Stinking Lowdown Cryin’ Shame/ Improv IV; Fire, Dancing; 53:29. pfmentum.com