The latest release from Nicholas Payton – Nicholas Payton – TRIUNE is not your typical Jazz release as it is a reunion of musicians, esperanza spalding and Kariem Riggins, from their 2010 ensemble, and their individual jazz chops infuse the tracks with a unique fusion of sound. The seven track release shines as it covers five original tracks from Nicholas Payton and two covers by Geri Allen.
TRIUNE: Unconditional Love, Ultraviolet, Jazz is a Four Letter Word, Let it Ride, Gold Dust Black Magic, #bamisforthechildren, Feed the Fire
Personnel: Nicholas Payton: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Clavinet, Keyboards, Vocals; Karriem Riggins: Drums; esperanza spalding: Bass, Vocals; Nikki Glaspie: Drums; Ivan Neville: Keyboards, Clavinet, Vocals; Otis McDonald: Vocals; Erica Falls: Vocals
Nicholas Payton – TRIUNE was Produced by Paul Stache and Nicholas Payton, Executive Producer Paul Stache and Molly Johnson, and released on the Smoke Sessions Records label. The TRIUNE release marks the fifth release by Nicholas Payton on the Smoke Sessions Records label, and reunites the Jazz power of three, Nicholas Payton, esperanza spalding, and Karriem Riggins, from their 2010 music ensemble. The chemistry that was created in 2010 was not lost, and in all ways, the mix got better.
The seven track release features five original tracks written by Nicholas Payton and two covers of songs from pianist Geri Allen. The release opens with an 8+ minute cover of Geri Allen’s, Unconditional Love, with the spellbinding vocals of esperanza spalding accompanied by the mellow piano work of Nicholas Payton and a tight base line. A magnificent reintroduction to the mastery of the three who become one on this track, thus the tite TRIUNE “three in one.”
The release flows into the track, Ultraviolet, where Nikki Glaspie adds her vocals to the ensemble and opens up the sound showing that there are no bounds for the genre called Jazz. The track, Jazz is a Four Letter Word, is a poignant melding of musicianship, vocals, and instrumentation, which casts a spell on the listener embracing them in a Funk, Hip-Hop, and Jazz sound. Let It ride is a track that conveys the beauty of the Jazz sound in the hands of extraordinary musicians, soft, subtle, but powerful.
The transition to the track, Gold Dust Black Magic, lets Nicholas Payton show his musicianship as he plays the Clavinet and Rhodes while esperanza’s vocals are enchanting and Karriem’s drums and esperanza’s base are pulsating AS they tie everything together in a beautiful Jazz bow. The track, #bamisforthechildren, pays homage to the New Orleans sound, as Nicholas Payton wanted the song recorded as a “people’s expression.” They bring in Ivan Neville and Erica Falls to add their inspiration to the sound that results is a mesmerizing head nodding and toe tapping track.
They close the release with the Geri Allen track, Feed The Fire, which Nicholas covered on his 2022 The Couch Sessions release. The group embraces the track as they provide their unique interpretation to the flow and melody as the “three in one” musically close out a sensational release.
Websites where you can procure Nicholas Payton – TRIUNE: Smoke Sessions Records, Apple Music, BandCamp, Drowned World Records
Website – Nicholas Payton – https://nicholaspayton.com/
Website – Smoke Session Records – https://smokesessionsrecords.com/
Social Media:
TikTok – Nicholas Payton – https://www.tiktok.com/@thezengangster @thezengangster
SoundCloud – Nicholas Payton – https://soundcloud.com/nicholaspayton
YouTube – Nicholas Payton – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-rElz7xqZdiO4Jm5CdoM_g
X – Nicholas Payton – https://x.com/paynic @paynic
Instagram: Nicholas Patyon – https://www.instagram.com/nicholaspayton @nicholaspayton
Facebook – Smoke Session Records – https://www.facebook.com/SmokeSessionsRecords/
Instagram – Smoke Session Records – https://www.instagram.com/smokesessionsrecords/?hl=en @smokesessionsrecords
X – Smoke Session Records – https://x.com/smokejazzclub
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