Label: Nonesuch Records, 2026
Personnel - Henry Threadgill: alto saxophone, flute; Vijay Iyer: piano; Dafnis Prieto: drums.
Henry Threadgill, a living legend, avant-garde jazz eminence, and master composer, joins forces with the incredibly creative pianist Vijay Iyer, a reference in modern creative jazz, and proficient Cuban-born drummer Dafnis Prieto, who has worked with Arturo O'Farrill, Eddie Palmieri, and John Zorn. Their debut trio album, Fifteen, comprises a strangely addictive set of post-modern and avant-garde tunes—three by both Threadgill and Iyer, and two by Prieto—that are easily recommended for fans of the three musicians. The album title refers to the number of years the trio has been performing together.
Threadgill's "Trio Piece" opens the curtain in a cerebral, slow-chugging way, placing ethereal flute over mystery-inducing piano textures set in the lower register, with understated drumming punctuated by occasional syncopation. If this track gives you an idea of what comes next, "Last Night", also composed by Threadgill, exceeds our expectations. Boasting a great vibe via its obtuse groove, the piece thrives with forward-leaning drumming, tart saxophone lines, and angular pianism. In the same feral grip of extravagance and sense of groove, Iyer's "I Wanted a Map" mixes structural rock groundwork, avant-garde literacy, and even a bit of Americana.
Threadgill blows with soul on the latter, switching to flute on Prieto's "Gently Trapped", where we can sense a classical innuendo in Iyer's playing. An ethereal flow and an agreeably smooth texture are defining characteristics of this piece. In turn, Iyer's "Fire City" goes from ruminative to ebullient, entering full explorative mode. The theme revealed at the end feels intensely bright yet typified by a few shadowy spots. Blending acute teamwork and killer textures, the trio is free to explore harmonically in the way Iyer envisioned. Yet on his pathos-packed "Perfect Victims", he rightfully opts for simply arpeggiated sequences that further enhance its elegiac tones. In addition to wailing alto sax, we have timely cymbal washes turned thunderous tom-tom mechanics, providing a ricocheting sense of dynamism at the end.
Prieto's "On the Way" packs a wallop, proving the drummer to be a skilled composer. There's a Latin freshness to it, while still bringing out Threadgill's stylistic parameters. Galvanizing percussive work, bustling piano arrays, and terse saxophone expression — all contribute to the hip swagger.
This adventurous trio with a distinctly individual vibe certainly has its inventive ways of making its music sound interesting. Fifteen encompasses three strong compositional voices, leading to superior results.
Favorite Tracks:
02 - Last Night ► 03 - I Wanted a Map ► 04 - Gently Trapped ► 08 - On the Way