Ebioto

by Michael G. NastosWith an Odean Pope trio recording, you're pretty much assured of getting a full plate of the real thing in modern jazz; Pope's powerful, rambling, swinging, ribald, occasionally multiphonic and overblown tenor sax, Tyrone Brown's deep, resonant, ultra-clear bass and Craig McIver's fluid, probing witty drum work. On this very consistent recording it all comes together for the threesome during seven of Pope's and one of Brown's originals. As an offshoot of the Coltrane-Shepp-Rivers branch of creative saxophonistics, Pope's ideas stream and steam. The intro number "Prince La Sha" is a tribute to another member of that strain, Prince Lasha. Stop-start segments, strong lyrical lines, forward moving bass and drums with substantive solos, and that implosive feeling of free bop pervades the very first piece, and sets you up for the rest. At their most obtuse is the zig zag melody and dark bass of the latin-to-swing "Speaking to The Clouds" (not listed on the back cover.) A zen like head noddin' blues "Good Question Too" goes on and on, 10 minutes plus including solos. Pope can be favorably compared to Roscoe Mitchell (check out Mitchell's "Hey, Donald" Delmark CD) for the easy swinger "Me & You," while the band is broken up into individual solo components for "You Remind Me." A freer title track has the band taffy pulling in different and similar directions. The only confusing aspect is the track run down and Pope's brief comments (inside booklet) don't correspond. They're seemingly switched for "Cis" (for his wife) and Brown's "Tribute To Duke & Mingus; " the former a modified calypso, the latter a mid-tempo blues figure with what sounds like a paraphrased "I Remember Clifford," followed by a tuneful sax-bass unison that does echo Ellington and Charles Mingus, least we hope so. This is a fine veteran trio that has broken ground before with this format, also in the case of Pope & Brown during their tenure with the Max Roach ensemble. "Ebioto" is confirmation that they can continue to give many more years as great improvisors, and purveyors of solid modern jazz with an edge. Recommended.