Pianist Carol Liebowitz, violinist Eva Lindal, and clarinetist Bill Payne recorded their album Payne/Lindal/Liebowitz by the seat of their three pairs of pants — all 56 minutes and 43 seconds of it. What you are hearing is just the sound of three musicians playing off of one another. And as you might suspect, none of it belongs to any neat and tidy category. The press release from fledgling label Line Art Records tells me to file it under “Jazz”, but the jazzy elements are only part of the picture. There are rapid runs mirroring modern classical music (think 12-tone scale) and some passages like the track “If Then” sound like the trio were trying to improvise along with an art house film.
There is no way that Payne/Lindal/Liebowitz will enjoy widespread appeal. As impressive as the performances are, it’s still a challenge for the average listener to process. Musiczoom.it writer Vittorio Lo Conte called it “an intense album that will not go unnoticed.” Hopefully it will not go unnoticed for the right reasons.