Matt Mitchell

Zealous Angles is the first documentation of pianist/composer Matt Mitchell’s long-running trio featuring bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Dan Weiss.Pi Recordings’ not-so-secret weapon, Mitchell now has six releases as a leader or co-leader and fourteen appearances on the label. His 2024 release Illimitable (on his and Kate Gentile's Obliquity Records) was called “one of greatest albums of spontaneously composed solo piano music, ever…. a masterpiece of twenty-first century solo piano music” by The Free Jazz Collective. His last release on Pi – Snark Horse, co-led with drummer Gentile – was described by Downbeat as “a monumental collection of improvised and composed electro-acoustic music that no matter how wild it gets, never makes anything less than musical sense.”

The compositions on Zealous Angles reflect Mitchell’s recent interest in multiple asynchronous cycles using polyrhythm and polymeter. The pieces contain anywhere from two to six lines of different lengths, with the performers having the freedom to play any of the lines and also interpret and improvise within and among the material. The result of this divergence is a multifarious sort of rhythmic and textural fluidity in which the possibilities for group exploration and interaction are exponentially expanded. As is always the case with Mitchell’s band-leading ethos, all group members are heartily encouraged to bring all of their musical knowledge to bear as they see fit. In the case of the trio with Tordini and Weiss, this approach results in a panoply of spontaneous rhythmic and melodic expression that embraces and celebrates the rich history of the “jazz piano trio” but also evinces a zest for discovering previously uncharted creative spaces.

As Tordini describes the experience: “As with most of Matt's music, there are complex rhythmic ideas, as well as unexpected harmonic and intervallic suggestions, but the nature of this music demands a certain amount of letting go and giving in to however the three of us are putting it all together in the moment. It’s a level of trust and a vibe we can achieve that only comes with long-term musical collaboration.”