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Paul Wertico Trio

Another Side

Naim CD093

Drummer-led bands are frequently units in which melody (and often subtlety) are sacrificed to the leader's need to demonstrate a fearsome technique and an easy familiarity with a plethora of rhythms.

The Paul Wertico Trio, however, is a genuinely democratic outfit, weaving a unique group sound out of strikingly diverse elements: oblique blues, light (and occasionally heavy) funk, the odd excursion into so-called 'world' music and free-ish, spacy musings, all characterised by sensitive, thoughtful interaction.

Guitarist John Moulder (who seems capable of switching between the almost dreamy, textural feel of Bill Frisell and the punchier bluesy style of, say, John Scofield at will) and bassist Brian Peters (who has a richly sensuous sound well served by Naim's 'True Stereo' approach) are poised and elegant throughout, yet almost raunchily powerful at times, and the album as a whole provides an object lesson in how to ring musical changes within the basic guitar-bass-drums format.

Warmly recommended.