Nicolas Masson / Roberto Pianca / Emanuele Maniscalco

“Third Reel”

(ECM Records, ECM 2314, Bar Code 372 8269)

The recent crop of ECM releases has included high profile, widely praised recordings by heavyweights such as Keith Jarrett, Charles Lloyd and Tomasz Stanko. However it would be a shame if this highly promising album by the trio of Swiss born saxophonist/clarinettist Nicolas Masson and his Italian colleagues Roberto Pianca (guitar) and Emanuele Maniscalco (drums, percussion) were to be overlooked in favour of the output of more established names.

“Third Reel”, in the best ECM tradition a group name as well as an album title, intersperses compositions from each member of the trio with brief snippets of group improvisations. The sixteen tracks are for the most part fairly short, sometimes tantalisingly so, with several lasting somewhere between one or two minutes. It’s to the credit of the musicians and their producer Manfred Eicher that these fragments cohere to present a convincing and satisfying whole. “Third Reel” is a damn fine album that deserves to be heard widely.

Masson, Pianca and Maniscalco are all band leaders in their own right but each has come to regard the co-operative Third Reel as a priority. The trio came together through on line friendships with Masson and Pianca checking out each others web pages before coming together to jam and immediately recognising a strong musical connection. The pair tried out several drummers before settling on Maniscalco, a musician who is equally competent on piano and who brings a strong composing presence to the group. All three musicians have studied widely and have played with many leading contemporary names in both the US and Europe with Maniscalco enjoying a lengthy stint with trumpeter Enrico Rava. Although relatively unknown to UK audiences this is a group with a rich seam of musical experiences. The absence of a bassist is wholly deliberate, the trio saying “it means more responsibility for each player and more risk taking”. It’s an approach that works well with each member of the group rising to the challenge of filling the rhythmic and textural holes created by the lack of bass. 

It’s easy to see why Third Reel’s music appealed to Manfred Eicher. There’s an occasional Garbarek like skirl about Masson’s saxophone playing, Pianca’s judicious and effective use of guitar FX recalls Bill Frisell’s days on the label and Maniscalco’s richly detailed drums and percussion evokes memories of colourists such as Paul Motian. Indeed it may well be Motian’s long running trio with Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano that provided a source of inspiration for Third Reel. Much of the music is conventionally “pretty” in the ECM sense but there’s also some welcome grit in the oyster, much of this coming courtesy of the Frisell-like frisson of Pianca’s rock influenced guitar work.

It’s the guitarist’s lovely “After All” that opens the album, a delightful melodic fragment that acts as a kind of overture with crystalline guitar and gently scrabbling percussion.

Maniscalco’s “Furious Seasons” sees Pianca unleashing his effects, his fuzzed up chording driving a tune that also packs a powerful punch courtesy of Masson’s probing tenor solo. The blend of sax and guitar is particularly effective with the composer’s loosely energetic drumming providing both detail and commentary. It’s an energising slice of post rock combining power and intelligence.

Masson’s gently atmospheric “Orbits” is far more contemplative, unfolding in ruminative and unhurried fashion with long melody lines and an aura of almost Zen like calm. There’s a passage of richly textured solo guitar, some brooding Garbarek like tenor and a constantly evolving filigree of neatly detailed percussion.

“Improvisation 2” features eerie, sustain rich, feedback drenched guitar textures (at times it sounds as if Pianca may be using a bow on the strings) plus vocalised sax cries and murmurings together with scratchy, scrabbling percussion. Clocking in at just over two minutes it’s highly atmospheric and like many of Third Reel’s pieces would make highly effective film soundtrack music, particularly for noirish art house movies.

Maniscalco’s “Bley” is a brief episode featuring Masson on clarinet. It’s a beautiful little vignette but whether it’s a dedication to Paul or Carla (both artists with strong ECM connections) isn’t made clear.

The drummer turns out to be the group’s most prolific writer. Perhaps it’s his pianistic background that has shaped his love for melody with the slightly longer “Neuer Mond Prologue” proving to be one of his prettiest tunes.

“Improvisation 5” proves to be a solo drum passage with Maniscalco focussing on sustaining an atmosphere and creating a melody rather than demonstrating his chops. Played almost unbearably delicately on the toms it’s reminiscent of Seb Rochford at his most delicate and receptive.

The classically informed “Miserere” showcases Masson’s melodic gift, his delicately probing and melancholic clarinet lines augmented by Maniscalco’s exquisitely detailed percussion shadings.

Pianca returns to prominence on Maniscalco’s “Freeze”, a piece hewn from the same rock as the earlier “Furious Seasons”. Heavily fuzzed up guitar leads the way with Masson responding with some of his most forthright tenor playing of the set. Meanwhile the composer eschews the fine detail of much of the rest of the album to provide almost primal drum accompaniment. This is a welcome burst of energy, an abrupt change of style and pace that actually enhances the flow of the album.

Maniscalco’s “Fasten” then returns to a more contemplative approach with melodic, warm toned tenor lines augmented by altogether more delicate guitar stylings.

Masson’s “Ginkgo” alternates snippets of gorgeous saxophone and guitar melody with solo brushed drum passages of remarkable sensitivity -  of beauty even.

Also by the reed player “Sparrow”  revisits the kind of territory explored by the earlier “Orbits”, the tune again unfolding in delightfully unhurried fashion and featuring some of the composer’s most passionate and beautiful playing. Pianca’s sympathetic chording and Maniscalco’s equally empathic drumming provide wonderful support.

“Spectrum” represents Pianca’s only writing credit and begins with Masson’s solo clarinet meditations. The talented reed man combines technique with beauty, his delicate trills and probings later underscored by delicate guitar chording and almost subliminal percussion. Pianca’s egoless approach results in a piece as beautiful as any elsewhere on the album. It’s not the guitar break out the listener may have been expecting.

Maniscalco is now based in Denmark and his “Eleventh Winter Tale” has a cool, Scandinavian air of beauty about it, long sombre tenor lines above ethereal guitar chording and gentle mallet rumbles and cymbal shimmers.

“Improvisation 4” is a duet for Masson and Maniscalco only, a brief saxophone led exchange that features Masson at his most Lovano like above Maniscalco’s well judged brushed response.

The prolific drummer/composer provides the album’s closing track, “Neuer Mond” itself, a typically melodic and unhurried piece featuring the now customary long, thoughtful tenor lines, subtle guitar chording and beautifully nuanced percussion.

Although composed almost entirely of miniatures “Third Reel” hangs together very well and the chemistry between the three group members is obvious. These are three superb technicians who utilise their impressive individual talents in the pursuit of a common cause. These beguiling snapshots speak of even greater things to come.

I was hugely impressed by this absorbing and often beautiful recording and I suspect that it would be revelatory to see the trio perform live. Come on Mr. Eicher, get these guys over to the UK.     

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