Trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson’s ‘3 Times Round’ is his first release since the widely-lauded ‘Moving Still’, which was named one of the top albums of 2016 by the New York Times and the best release of the year by PopMatters, who called Finlayson “among the most exciting and puckish composers in the music today.” ’3 Times Round’, features a frontline of Finlayson on trumpet, Steve Lehman on alto saxophone and Brian Settles on tenor saxophone and flute, plus Matt Mitchell on piano, John Hebert on bass and Craig Weinrib on drums. It’s a remarkable aggregation of highly individual artists. The compositions on ‘3 Times Round’ exhibit an incredible sense of balance in the ensemble writing and the way the various voices complement one another. Featuring intricate counterpoint, and interlocking rhythmic complexity, it’s also filled with gorgeous harmonies and melodies, which drew enthusiastic praise from Finlayson’s long-time bandmate Steve Coleman: “It’s very impressionistic with really creative harmonic writing, of which Jonathan has an almost-pianistic command. I can hear the breadth in the music, which reflects Jonathan’s
interests in so many different things.” It’s another masterful work from one of the most creative and uncompromising musicians on the jazz scene today.
