Andy Milne The Re:Mission
Though Andy Milne actually hasn’t recorded in the classic trio format before, you’d never know it just from The Re:Mission. He’s been no slouch in many other settings, from supporting Cassandra Wilson or Steve Coleman to the genre-mashingly ambitious Dapp Theory quintet. Having always had a dream of trying this particular classic format, and invigorated after a 2018 fight with cancer (hence the title), he decided it was finally time to form a working group and take the plunge. This cheerful session shows Milne’s skills undimmed and how happy he is to bounce back -a promising first trio outing and hopefully far from his last. He settles comfortably into this smaller-than-usual combo without feeling any unnecessary pressure to fill in any space. The disc is bookended with fresh colorful takes on two well-traveled standards, while the all-original program in between puts his breadth of imagination on colorful display.
McCoy Tyner‘s “Passion Dance” serves as both statement of intent and a sizzling-hot hard-bop opener, while the subtler followup “Resolution” slows right down and lets the three freely wander in empty space. Milne continues building his pieces with an eye on form as much as melody. “Vertical on Opening Night” exists in an almost mantric quiet zone as John Hébert‘s bass provides the closest thing it has to a lead; with “Dancing on the Savannah” it’s half intricate dance and half abstract travelogue. In any mode it’s a rich listen reflecting a wealth of colors and feelings. The trio walk a series of fine lines (or rather skip an exciting musical hopskotch course) between jazz history and Milne’s own forward-thinking forms, never failing to happily challenge and inspire.