The Chris Corcoran Trio - Listen up! (2015)

Tracklist

01. Strung Out
02. Brown Sauce
03. 526
04. Kingly Street
05. Inzago
06. Swingo
07. Mambo Cubita
08. Inside Out
09. Curveball
10. High Roller
11. Back at the Shack



The Chris Corcoran Trio remain consistently fabulous on their second album "Listen Up!", an offering of 11 Corcoran-penned instrumentals as stylish as their album covers. Rare is the track that won't offer a surprise as soon you think you've got it all figured out and labelled, yet it all plays together as a unified album by a band who know exactly what they're doing.

The numbers range from the rocking "Kingly Street" to the boogie-woogie of "Swingo" and the bluesy closer "Back at the Shack", while the Link Wray connection is renewed on tracks such as "526" and "Inside Out". And then there's the "other stuff" – the acoustic, mellow "Mambo Cubita" with its gentle percussion, the johnscofieldian funk of "Brown Sauce", the Jeeves-and-Wooster swing of "Curveball"... Oh yes – in case you missed it, it's a British band!

Chris Corcoran leads the proceedings on his occasionally multilayered guitar, with expert backing from and ample solo space for Dave Lagnado on the double bass and Peter Greatorex on the drums. Where the trio's debut "The Getaway" highlighted their jazz influences with covers from the likes of Kenny Burrell and Paul Chambers, "Listen up!" presents an all-original group, unified in sound and purpose – perhaps a bit more rock'n'roll-inclined than the last time around, but with their impeccable jazz chops still very much in evidence.

But don't let this talk of jazz and instrumentals scare you: Mr. Corcoran is a man of style and focus, and nowhere is the tune and groove sacrificed for a mere display of instrumental prowess. There's no pointless noodling, all arrangements serve the song, and only two of the 11 tracks extend beyond the 4-minute mark – and only barely.

All in all, another fine effort from the best instrumental trio in the roots music world. Recommended – and would someone please make sure they tour this way soon...?!

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