Manu Katche: Third Round

Manu Katché: drums; Tore Brunborg: saxophones; Jason Rebello: piano, Fender Rhodes; Pino Palladino: bass

Swing Piece / Keep On Trippin’ / Senses / Being Ben / Une larme dans ton sourire / Springtime Dancing / Out Take Number 9 / Shine And Blue / Stay With You / Flower Skin / Urban Shadow

Drummer Manu Katche first came on the worldwide music scene with Peter Gabriel in the ‘80s and also played drums with Sting for a decade. His appropriately-titled third record as a leader, “Third Round”, features his unique compositions as much as his signature melodic and propulsive drumming. Ethereal and funky at turns, the CD benefits from the bass playing of Pino Palladino, one of the top electric bass players in the world. Together he and Katche lay out an irresistible groove that the front line of pianist Jason Rebello and saxophonist Tore Brunborg – sounding like a young Jan Garbarek – float their melodies on.
Like his other efforts, Katche doesn’t try to become a straight-ahead jazz player, instead crafting his music, his own playing, and the sound of the band around his own idea of what his music should sound like. This excellent CD is quite an enjoyable listen.

Intensified commitment to the French-African drummer’s programme of “beautifully mutated grooves and jazzy themes” (to quote The Guardian) distinguishes Manu Katché’s third ECM album. Inside an all-new line-up, bassist Pino Palladino nonchalantly reinforces the groove element – he and Katché have much shared history as sessioneers – and helps the pulses of Manu’s tunes to dance. Pianist Rebello has both delicacy of touch and energy to burn, and saxophonist Brunborg, currently playing at a peak, solos passionately on Katché’s melodies. Guest guitarist Jacob Young shades and colours a handful of pieces, while Kami Lyle adds innocent vocals to “Stay With You”.

Price: $15.98

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