Trio Concerts

Personnel includes: Joe Maneri (alto & tenor saxophone, clarinet, piano); Mat Maneri (electric violin, viola); Randy Peterson (drums).
Recorded live in 1997 & 1998.
Personnel: Joe Maneri (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, piano); Mat Maneri (electric guitar, baritone violin, electric violin, viola); Randy Peterson (drums).
Recording information: Jamaica Plain, MA (10/19/1997-11/??/1998); Killian Hall, M.I.T. Cambridge, MA (10/19/1997-11/??/1998).
Joe Maneri is an enigmatic figure among icons of free improvisation. Late in the twentieth century, he was rediscovered, in part, through the efforts of his son, violinist Mat Maneri, and Joe Maneri has since recorded albums under his own name that have contributed significantly to his discography. This live two-CD set features Joe Maneri on alto and tenor sax, clarinet, and piano; Mat Maneri on electric six-string violin, baritone violin, and viola; and Randy Peterson on drums. These three musicians have performed together before, but what is striking about this recording is the absence of cliché throughout. Joe Maneri seems oblivious to most of the influences affecting many freestyle improvisers. His style is surprisingly accessible even without recognizable melodies. His eclectic piano playing on the second disc is a particular delight. Combined with the extremely talented Mat Maneri and Peterson, the results inspire and draw the listener into a world that is different than any other. For a trio, there is an enormous variety of instrumentation, but never do the players devolve to pastiche. Rather, they follow a path that has little precedent. Their clipped phrases and original melodic snippets, all delivered at moderate to low volume and at varying tempos, ignore bar lines and conventional structure, delivering works of shimmering beauty that are as uplifting as they are curious. ~ Steven Loewy