Afro-Caribbean music and jazz have long been pals, standing alongside each other, sharing superficial and intimate secrets, and just generally having a grand time. The Paul Carlon Trio – saxophonist Carlon, bassist Alex “Apolo” Ayala, and percussionist Chembo Corniel – celebrate that state of affairs on Between Us Three. Sparse arrangements that eschew a harmonic instrument draw attention to both the melody and the rhythm, keeping the tracks simple and direct. Carlon plays riffs, Ayala and Corniel give them a foundation, and the songs practically frolic across their timespans. Aside from giving the arrangements plenty of air for the players to move through, the lack of chords means Ayala shares space with both Corniel and Carlon, switching deftly from driving the rhythm to soloing, and making him the unsung star of the show. Zero in on the cover of Wayne Shorter’s “Infant Eyes,” the take on Woody Shaw’s “Katrina Ballerina,” or Carlon originals “Just Between Us Three,” “Papasito Rides Again,” and “Espejos” for signposts of the intent here, and samba, cha-cha, and tango your way around the rest of Between Us Three from there.
