Upper Left Trio Sell Your Soul Side CD

Continuing where they left off with their 2003 release "Cycling," the Portland-based Upper Left Trio takes the classic piano trio form down a whole new path. Influenced as much by modern jazz and pop conventions of the last 30 years as by the trios of Bi

Personnel: Clay Giberson (piano); Charlie Doggett (drums).
Audio Mixer: Bob Stark .
Recording information: Kung Fu Bakery, Portland, OR (05/17/2005-05/19/2005).
Photographer: Todd Bishop.
The sophomore release from Portland's Upper Left Trio provides more of what the debut album, Cycling, gave listeners: a well-planned piano trio outing. On Sell Your Soul Side, there are the same hints of the classic masters inherent in the compositions -- not quite enough Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett to make a reference perfectly obvious, but enough to enrich the music greatly. In the hands of pianist Clay Giberson, there's plenty of original ability anyway. The music uses idioms from the realm of pop and soul somewhat more this time around, but not to the point of leaving the jazz realm. There are progressive beats worked in from time to time, and chord progressions reminiscent of jazz-pop fusion, but always in service of the larger composition. This is perfect ambient jazz, straight from a smoky club, with accomplished musicians. They've worked together long enough to fit their pieces together seamlessly, but they aren't big enough on their own egos to steal a scene with an abrupt solo. In a word, excellent. ~ Adam Greenberg

JazzTimes (p.144) - "UL3 writes its own material, and all the trio's tunes have singable melodies and catchy hooks and cute grooves."