This is the third album from pianist Tom Cawley and his group, the trio collectively known as Curios. The personnel of Cawley, bassist Sam Burgess and drummer Josh Blackmore remains unchanged from the trio’s previous two releases “Hidden” (Jazzizit, 2007) and “Closer” which appeared on Cawley’s own Impure imprint in 2008.

Their latest project sees them linking up with the enterprising Cardiff based Edition label run by pianist Dave Stapleton and photographer Tim Dickeson. The label is building up a fine stable of British jazz talent and is rapidly becoming one of the major players on the UK jazz scene. They’ve even gone international adding the Norwegian quintet Audun Automat to the Edition roster.

Curios’ previous two releases revealed them to be one of the most interesting and entertaining piano trios around drawing on both classical influences and on the methodology of pioneering contemporary jazz pianists such as Keith Jarrett and particularly Brad Mehldau. Cawley is a particularly versatile musician. Since giving up the role of manic keyboard player in Acoustic Ladyland to concentrate on Curios he has also worked frequently with vocalists such as Trudy Kerr and most recently Tammy Weis and has currently landed himself a highly prestigious gig as a member of Peter Gabriel’s band on the singer’s latest album and tour. Blackmore too, has been making a name for himself away from Curios as part of the highly touted guitar/organ driven combo Troyka featuring Cawley’s former pupil, keyboard player Kit Downes. Troyka too are signed to Edition and released their highly acclaimed début album for the label in 2009. Not to be outdone Burgess remains a key member of singer/songwriter Gwyneth Herbert’s excellent band and performs with pianist John Law’s trio as well as undertaking numerous other sideman projects.

“The Other Place” shows the trio still developing the ideas they so successfully expressed on their first two albums. This is clever, fiercely intelligent music but Cawley and his colleagues are never solemn. They frequently display an impish sense of humour and behind the tricky time signatures and technical wizardry there is a very British soul and wit. This is “serious fun” of the first order.

Cawley and Burgess share a well documented love of motor sport, something which this time around even manifests itself in the album cover. Jenson Button’s victory in the 2009 Grand Prix series has provided a rich source of inspiration for Cawley with pieces like “Belief” and “2009 World Champion” taking their titles from the triumphs of the great man. Cawley has met Button and admits to being star struck-a bit like me when I meet some of my jazz heroes- like, er, Tom Cawley.

The new album finds the trio adding to their sound by the judicious use of electronics such as the loops deployed on the consecutive tracks “Pure” and “Impure”. Like it’s predecessors “The Other Place” also embraces a variety of moods and styles from the downright playful to the deeply romantic. It’s a confident record by a trio with a definite band identity. The three players are comfortable with each other’s styles and the spirit of group interaction is strong, the collective name Curios hinting at a musical democracy and a collective mentality. The tunes may be Cawley’s but his two colleagues both bring a huge amount to the creative process.

The trio move confidently off the starting grid with “Pursuit”, possibly another motor racing metaphor or perhaps it’s a reference to it’s “theme and variations” structure. Cawley has spoken of the pleasure he takes in blending the simple with the complex. Here a simple melody is underlaid by complex, contrasting time signatures with piano and bass in five and the drums in four. Cawley improvises expansively within this quirky framework. For the listener it’s tricky, but thoroughly absorbing listening. The band are clearly taking great delight in their risk taking and that sense of fun and musical derring do communicates itself well. Some of it’s a musical white knuckle ride but the piece also has moments of sublime lyricism and beauty, in particular Burgess’ bass solo on the delicate coda.

The following “Plea” shows Cawley’s romantic side, a rubato ballad with a gorgeous melody. Cawley and Burgess share the lead as Blackmore supplies gentle, brush led percussive detail around them. It’s all thoroughly delightful and in Blackmore’s case vastly different to his role as the engine room of Troyka. 

Curios are a band that likes to keep the listener on their toes. “Roadster” (yep, cars again) has the same playful mood as “The Tiling Song” from the band’s previous album “Closer”. Here Blackmore gets the chance to cut loose, gleefully coaxing a range of quirky sounds from his drum kit to the backdrop of a persistent electronic pulse and Cawley’s equally playful pianistics before the piece opens up into something a little more conventional. The trio close as they started with Blackmore again taking the lead. Great fun.

As mentioned previously both the following “Pure” and “Impure” also utilise judicious elements of electronic embellishment. “Pure” is almost minimalist and has a beautiful piano melody. A loop of backwards piano (sampled from Cawley’s own playing) forms an eerie backdrop with Burgess’ expressive bass and Blackmore’s pattering percussion adding to the chilled out atmosphere.

The electronic enhancement is less pronounced on the more robust “Impure”, a lengthy piece which alternates solo piano and passages with more full on group playing. Here mood and tempo vary several times within the course of a single tune, a neat encapsulation of Curios’ approach.

“Dream” is a short, romantic piece for solo piano, a total contrast to the following “Articles” which sees Blackmore integrate hip hop grooves into the already heady Curios mix. Cawley solos expansively but always melodically over the busy rhythmic backdrop laid down by Blackmore and Burgess before the trio take the track roaring out with a rocking, straight ahead coda.

“The Swan” explores the image of the bird’s serenity on the surface but with the feet paddling frenetically underneath. Superficially it’s calm with Cawley’s gentle chording but Burgess’s bass and particularly Blackmore’s busy but controlled drumming are constantly on the move. Only when the improvisational element kicks in does Cawley allow himself to be drawn along with the current as the piece speeds up before seguing abruptly into “Belief”.

Another piece inspired by Jenson Button the title refers not only to the driver’s belief in his own ability but also to Cawley’s belief as a fan that one day Button would win the world title. It’s surprisingly serene given the high octane nature of the source of it’s inspiration. Burgess turns in a typically excellent bass solo. He’s the ideal foil for Cawley, muscular and flexible with a huge tone but capable of great expressiveness in the trio’s quieter moments. Blackmore meanwhile plays with an intelligence and responsiveness well beyond his tender years. His intelligence and attention to detail are exceptional but he can also give the tubs a good old rattling when required.

“2009 World Champion” honours not only Button but also tips the hat in the direction of the American piano “power trio” The Bad Plus and their fondness for titles such as “1979 Semi-Finalist” (from the album “Give”). Eerie sampled prepared piano like tinklings link “Belief” and the assured strut of “2009” . This is helmets off, waving to the crowd stuff with Blackmore featuring particularly strongly and it’s a great way to close yet another excellent album from this exceptionally talented band.

Curios are a group right on top of their game and the richly varied “The Other Place” engages throughout. The affable Cawley’s sporting obsessions give him a human quality which other musicians don’t always project in their recordings. He’s a football nut too. With the World Cup just around the corner let’s hope the next Curios album has a tune entitled “2010 World Champions”. 

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