Triveni II

Trio work involves delicate balancing and supportive interaction among musicians. The task is complicated when there is no chordal instrument, but trumpeter Cohen rises to the challenge. He is not so much “accompanied” as he is joined by bassist Omer Avital and drummer Nasheet Waits. Charles Mingus and Ornette Coleman influences are clear in both original compositions and interpretations of their works. “Safety Land” opens forcefully, with the gutsy Mingus feel. The two Coleman pieces, “Music News” and “Follow the Sound,” are brief sketches. The trio turns “Willow Weep for Me” into a growling bump ’n’ grind, but handles “Woody’n’You” as more of a straight-ahead tribute to composer Dizzy Gillespie. Mingus’ “Portrait” includes a stop-time bass solo with effective brushes and trumpet counterpoint. They close with a swinging alternate take of Don Cherry’s “Art Deco,” another nod to Coleman.