Triorganico is a softer, subtler bossa nova version of instrumental jazz jam bands like Medeski, Martin & Wood. Most of the songs on the Los Angeles-based group’s delightful debut, Convivência, begin with melodic vignettes that lead into extended solos. This mellow acoustic music could be passed over easily as yet another bland soundtrack of background music for your local yoga or meditation class. However, if you dig a little deeper into Convivência, you’ll be handsomely rewarded.
Ricardo “Tiki” Pasillas lays down deceptively simple percussion grooves that snap, crackle, and pop. Seven-string guitar virtuoso Fabiano do Nascimento, who grew up in Brazil, provides layers of complex harmonies, and New York jazz veteran Pablo Calogero, who really sets Triorganico apart from its peers, plays gorgeous, minimalist melodies on flute, clarinet, and saxophone. The result is an understated Latin jazz gem. Highlights include: the ethereal “Correndo”, which is anchored by Nascimento’s lightning quick Byrd-esque guitar arpeggios; the Moacir Santos tune “Amphibious”, which features Calogero on bass clarinet; and the playfully rhythmic “After Thought”, a Calogero original that includes elements of avant-garde, new age, and smooth jazz.