Marlon Browden Trio

Marlon Browden, one of a growing number of young drummer/leaders, has done fiery, limber playing behind Greg Osby, Reid Anderson, and many others. His debut is sparse and elegant, grooving, downright nasty at times. The format is trio, plain and simple: Pete Rende plays piano and Wurlitzer while Matt Pavolka locks in on double bass. In addition to Browden's four varied original compositions, the disc contains three striking covers. Avi Leibovich's "It Won't Pay the Way" is a bright waltz tucked away within an open blowing section in 5/4. Björk's highly unorthodox "Anchor Song," the final track from her Debut album, gets a brief yet revelatory treatment — in fact, the most striking jazz homage she's received to date. And Rende switches to Wurlitzer for an offbeat mini-medley: Guillermo Klein's "Snake" into "Guinnevere," a Crosby, Stills & Nash song that Miles Davis adapted (and ultimately discarded) for the Bitches Brew sessions. (Here, the CD credits wrongly list Davis as the composer.) Browden's tunes — the stately, contemplative "Piano Song," the slow but jubilant "Daydream," the minor-modal "Cookie," the folky, melodic "Careless Lover" — are the work of someone devoted to jazz but thoroughly influenced by a rock, funk, and even singer/songwriter aesthetic. Highly recommended. ~ David R. Adler, Rovi