After recording their first album from within the claustrophic confines of pandemic enforced digital collaboration, the American jazz quarter Triple Blind’s second effort is all about reconnecting. They recorded together live in the well known Dreamland Recording Studios in an old church near Woodstock, New York, and the resulting album Cold Walk comes with an invitingly spontaneous and organic feel.
Triple Blind is Kyle Nasser on woodwinds (tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, wooden flute, whistling), Dov Manski on keyboards (Rhodes, Prophet 10, Mellotron, analog synth), Nick Jost on bass and organ, and Peter Kronreif on drums, with all three of the latter contributing to percussion. I mean, come on, Mellotron, Rhodes, and bass clarinet on one record? It’s like they’re reading my algorithm!
I could just listen to “Move Still” over and over for the the Rhodes/bass/drums section that comes just before the coda. OK, sure, Nasser plays an absolutely killer tenor solo right before that, but when he drops out, the other three take this into rich noir territory that I can’t get enough of. Farther along, ’70s soul jazz lurks behind the inspiration for the opening and closing sections of “Yarn Spin” with rich synth comping behind soulful tenor warbling as bass and drums move into hip hop territory; in between is a dreamy land of arco bass, tinkling percussion, piercing wooden flute, come-hither whistling, and more.
The title tune pairs Rhodes and burbling synth in alternating soloing with Nasser’s tenor, kind of a blend of straight hard bop and progressive fusion. “Chaotic Eyes” kicks off with a flute sound on Mellotron before Nasser takes you on a magical mystery tour on soprano sax paired with more Rhodes. Best of all in my book is the brief, charming “Without Basis,” a stuttering bass clarinet melody counterpointed by deep synthesized trombone lines and layers of percussion.”Sketchy Invention” has lots of playful interplay between Rhodes and saxophone, with phenomenal rhythymic inventions from Jost and Kronreif on bass and drums.
Cold Walk is modern jazz with just the right amount of complexity, catchy tunes, well done solos and sharp arrangements. No complaints here.
(self released, 2026)
