The Matt Moran Trio offers a relatively rare instrumental lineup of Moran’s vibes, Gary Versace on Hammond organ, and Tom Rainey at the drums. Return Trip is their second outing, after 2018's Play Ball, which both introduced the band and inaugurated Diskonife, a label that Moran started with saxophonist Peter Hess. When drummer Rainey was first contacted for the band, he told Moran that he “always wondered why that instrumentation didn’t get explored more,” noting that one of his very early gigs as a teenager was in such a group. Clocking in at just shy of 36 minutes, this compact compact disc is heavy on atmosphere and dynamic interaction. The Hammond organ is a versatile beast, and Versace clearly knows his way around it with a sound that veers from the light-hearted swells he employs on Ripples to the funky lines and subterranean bass of Effish. Moran, who wrote all the pieces, favors a dark sound on vibes, and he tends to keep to the middle of the tonal range of the instrument. Rainey has proved his mettle in a broad range of situations since his recording debut in 1980 with keyboardist Mike Nock, and his robust yet understated style is just right for this trio. Moran also leads the nine piece Slavic Soul Party!, so the introspective attitude expressed by the trio is, as he notes, “a much-needed complement to that energy.” At times, on trifles like Sometimes That’s OK or Peace and Integration, the mood is a little too relaxed and dreamy. But late at night, with the lights turned low, Return Trip is just the thing to help you unwind.
Diskonife 006; Matt Moran (vib) Gary Versace (Hammond B3 org) Tom Rainey (d); Brooklyn, NY, June 10, 2019; Ripples/ Spring/ Chord Conversation/ Lush/ Sometimes That’s OK/ Effish/ Peace and Integration; 35:45. diskonife.com
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