Organist Larry Goldings, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Bill Stewart enjoy a working relationship spanning thirty-five years. To celebrate, the trio presents Rhombus, their fourth album under the group name – seventh (we think), if you count records made under one of the members’ names. Regardless of scratches on the bedpost, it’s a killer album, with the band displaying different facets of what an organ trio can do. From the smooth hard bop of Goldings’ title track to the dreamy balladry of Wayne Shorter’s “Penelope,” from the atmospheric improvisation through Keith Jarrett’s “Everything That Lives Laments” to the chunky swing of Bernstein’s “Dissipation Blues,” this is a group whose interplay is almost casually intuitive, and whose joy in playing together is as bright as a supernova. Between the musicians’ basic talents and the obvious chemistry that comes from being into their fourth decade of collaboration, Rhombus both puts a cap on a remarkable career and opens the door to the next phase.
