Tethered Moon “Experiencing Tosca” (Winter and Winter) 2004

On their sixth recording, this dynamic, complex trio made of Masabumi Kikuchi, Gary Peacock and Paul Motian, draw ideas and energy from Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca.” Following other tribute albums to Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Weill, the trio simply takes a few directions from the originals before jumping in headfirst to explore a broad palette of music. Even without knowing where the melodic themes and motifs come from in the late-romantic opera, the trio’s inventiveness is captivating. The real pleasure comes from the way they interact, mixing colors, shades, feelings, and musical reactions. The operatic elements do come up at points, but the intriguing tensions of the trio’s interaction are the real pleasure. They are pulled towards the past of Puccini’s brilliance and towards the excitement of the improvised moment. The “concept” though never gets in the way of the music. Kikuchi’s piano is particularly direct, leaving space for the bass and drums between strong attacks. Peacock and Motian move in and out of the musical center with a knowing, edgy sense. Impressive and engaging, despite the distraction of Kikuchi’s loud moaning on some tracks, and the too-minimalist moments, this CD is a fascinating take on the very rare connection between jazz and opera.