USA: John Lindberg Raptor Trio, “Western Edges” (Clean Feed 2016)

“Western Edges” follows a principle: «Music is mystery. To be left unsolved, yet fully absorbed.» Inspired by nature, double bassist and composer John Lindberg and his two companions in the Raptor Trio, Pablo Calogero and Joe LaBarbera, manage to bend the sounds at their will, being the extraordinary musicians they are, but keeping the music mysterious from start to finish, letting it emanate entirely «from the heart» and making the point to play it in a «visceral manner», while «engendering flights into the ether and that which is beyond all understanding», as Lindberg himself writes in the liner notes of the CD. You don’t usually associate a strong emotional drive to the West Coast sound adopted in this recording, but John Lindberg never does what is expected of any format he happens to choose. That’s why he’s such a singular musician on the scene – he keeps surprising us, opening new doors, «riding the thermals, unimpeded, free and majestic». A must have, must listen opus, once again.