Artist: Eyes Shut Tight

Date of Release: 01/10/2010

Catalogue no: 1885

Label: Hungry Bear Records

Price: £10

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Track Listing

Eyes Shut Tight are a jazz trio performing the compositions of Paul Baxter with Johnny Tomlinson - Piano, Kristoffer Wright - Drums and Paul - Double Bass.

"..Esbjorn Svensson, Curios, Kit Downes, the Bad Plus – all key names in the growth of the piano trio as three-part conversation and Paul Baxter`s new CD with his Eyes Tight Shut Trio, Evolution, continues the logical development.. ..The intuitive group dynamic of the entire album...explores the possibilities offered by Baxter`s compositions."

Reviews

17/09/2010 Ron Burnett, Jazz Notes, York Press

In recent years the piano trio has been democratised. No longer is the piano on the promenade deck, with bass and drums down below in the engine room, stoking the rhythm. Esbjorn Svensson, Curios, Kit Downes, the Bad Plus – all key names in the growth of the piano trio as three-part conversation and Paul Baxter`s new CD with his Eyes Tight Shut Trio, Evolution, continues the logical development.
All compositions are selected from bass player Paul`s progress over the last five years. The album opener, Green Tea, is a melodic piece with obvious classical influences, while Time Of Arrival has fluid and subtle time changes, demonstrating the intuitive group dynamic of the entire album.
Dekonnik continues the refreshingly melodic impetus, with well-disguised borrowings from Stella By Starlight.
Evolution is a graphic demonstration of the group democracy, each musician given a voice in the organic development of the piece.
Drummer Kristoffer Wright is featured to great effect on WWW... and in his opening contribution to How The Sun Rises, developing into a 6/8 rhythm groove.
Pianist Johnny Tomlinson is a star in the making, muscularly definitive in his chords and lyrical in his single line flights as he explores the possibilities offered by Baxter`s compositions.
Jasper Hoiby`s Phronesis, a piano trio similarly led by a bass player, has played the London Jazz Festival, is lined up for the North Sea Jazz Festival and has been hailed by Jazzwise magazine as the breakthrough jazz band of the year.
Jasper should now be prepared for a wake-up call, to make room on the breakthrough platform for Eyes Tight Shut. You know it makes sense, Jasper.
More info on the Evolution album, by Eyes Tight Shut, from www.paulbaxtermusic.com