Faced with the time constraints of recorded music, we can see from the TRIPTYCH releases that Ivo Perelman and Matthew Shipp use those limits to subtly shape their free improvisations. When the pair is joined by drummer Jeff Cosgrove for a gig in Carrboro, North Carolina, the Perelman/Shipp/Cosgrove trio has to deal with the rather different circumstances of a live performance. Still inventing their music on the spot, Live in Carrboro offers one long improvisation, lasting just a few minutes shy of an hour. The delicacy of the opening minutes, as the trio adjusts itself to the room, soon evolves into a spirited conversation. When the clearly energized Perelman launches his tenor high into the stratosphere at around the 5 minute mark, it’s just the first of several climactic moments in the piece. Clearly they set out on this journey with the long haul in mind. At around the 13 minute point, Perelman lays out for a little while, giving room for Shipp and Cosgrove to engage in some improvisation on their own. When the saxophone comes back to goose things along, the music attains a vaguely funky rhythmic feel, leading up to some hard-blowing at around 20 minutes in. And so it goes, in fits and starts that are both utterly unpredictable and seemingly inevitable. By now, the intense cohesion displayed by Shipp and Perelman is no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention. The addition of another deeply compatible player like Cosgrove, serves to amplify and intensify their connection. There’s a genially relaxed drum solo, with Cosgrove using mallets, around the half-way point of the set, giving Shipp and Perelman a break and a chance to regroup. Cosgrove is a resourceful percussionist, whose slim discography includes releases devoted to the music of Paul Motian (2011's For The Love Of Sarah by Mostly Motian) and William Parker (2018's History Gets Ahead Of The Story), as well as a previous CD with Perelman and Shipp (Live In Baltimore, recorded in 2017). Judging by his elegant fit with the Shipp-Perelman juggernaut, he’s a very close listener to the dynamics and interactions of his bandmates. This blend of three engaged and passionate improvisers offers and immensely satisfying musical excursion. Happily recommended.
Soul City Sounds; Ivo Perelman (ts) Matthew Shipp (p) Jeff Cosgrove (d); Carrboro, NC, November 4, 2022; Live In Carrboro; 54:54. soulcitysounds.bandcamp.com
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