Tree Ark by Tree Ark

In the rich tapestry of jazz and improvised music there has been a clear delineation between improvising over precomposed music, whether it was standard repertoire or original compositions and what is categorized as free improvisation, which is basically creating music 100% extemporaneously without any previously prepared material. A third possibility, of creating formidable forms from scratch which have the architecture and grace of actual compositions, is particularly rare outside of soloists like Keith Jarrett and Paul Bley. With Tree Ark we have three artists who are well versed in the both traditional jazz and free improvisation, yet here they spontaneously compose each track while recording live, together in the studio. Each piece stands on its own as a completely realized composition. Tom Cabrera has both a long resumé of swinging jazz drumming as well as integral positions in free improvising ensembles, including Sumari and trios and duos with Rocco Iacovone and many other ensembles and duos as well as adding percussive depth to the bands of a number of jazz composers. Most of all of this on recordings on UR. Pianist Chris Forbes is a prodigious composer in both classical and jazz spheres with a long history of lending his virtuosic pianisms to the ensembles of the most acclaimed free improvisers on the New York scene. The most telling harbinger of Chris' explosive contributions to Tree Arc is perhaps his solo, completely improvised piano album on UR, Mountain Ocean Mirror Sky. Double-bassist Phil Sirois, a unique improviser whose lyrical voice on his instrument shines out equally in the thorniest environments of the improvised music world and straight ahead jazz groups. On Tree Ark his foundational yet melodic contributions are buoyed by his sensitive responsiveness. Tree Ark, to borrow a phrase from a certain Mr. Coleman, is in many ways the shape of jazz to come.

"Tom Cabrera is a percussionist of striking depth. An in- demand jazz drummer who made a specialty of the percussion family known as frame drums" - New Masses Media Relations