Chris Crocco
The Chris Crocco Fluid Trio+
GPA Records
www.gparecords.com
By George W. Harris

Cool toned guitarist Chris Crocco leads an intricate trio (with Peter Slavov/b and Francisco Mela/dr) and guest tenor saxist George Garzone on this collection of well composed originals. The mood is bluesy and serious, with quartet tunes like “Avenge” and “Trial Of Time” mixing bop phrases with reflective and shadowy solos. The tight mechanization of the trio produces some excellent opportunities for Crocco to show his facile guitar work, as on the hard driving “What It Is” and the intricate “Spice Mine” while his ballad work on “My Own Personal Wake” and his acoustic solo on “My Peace” show an impressively gentle side. The rhythm team of Mela and Slavov are like an air tight double play combination, taking the relay on a tune like “Metal” and flipping it to the right direction. Nice ensemble here, and a good addition for guitar fans.