In the world of free-jazz piano, Paul Bley’s work represents the road less travelled, and it’s a pleasure to hear New York pianist Russ Lossing building on his legacy. As It Grows is the work of a gemcutter – brilliant and precise, all facets, angles and elegant internal symmetries. Most of the tracks are brief, and even on the two longer tracks (“Nagual” and “Verse”) one senses Lossing’s instinct for sculpted brevity. Schuller maintains a fairly discreet presence throughout the disc, and the key relationship here is between pianist and drummer: Motian (first-call percussionist for this kind of gig) is as always marvellous, at once brash and delicate. As with Marilyn Crispell’s ECM discs, Lossing’s coolness and exquisiteness are a trifle oppressive over CD length – I’d have welcomed an infusion of some of Bley’s bounce and wit – but on its own terms this is a strong, thoughtfully realized trio date.

Nate Dorward

Unpublished