Kirk Knuffke Trio go deep at New York’s Zinc Bar

At the latter, cornettist-composer Kirk Knuffke, with bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Jeff Davis, warmed up the audience as they came in from snowy streets on this late February night.

Diverse while satisfyingly, coherently whole, their set represented some of the best aspects of American music. This flowed over a mix of originals and covers, ranging from Cannonball Adderley's 'Cyclops' to the trio's unique take on Ernest Tubb's 'Thanks a Lot'. At times a minimalist rhythm section was punctuated by beautifully-delivered, precise, trad-jazz-leaning horn lines, before spinning into swinging beats and a more bop-oriented language. These morphed into sung phrases that hinted at gospel, with brief suggestions of funk and moments that pushed rhythmic and timbral experimentalism. A fresh, contemporary approach ran throughout.

Sometimes-complex rhythmic transformations were tightly upheld by Takeishi and Davis, who delivered wonderfully engaging moments of unexpected patterns and sounds, from pops to taps and drawn-out sonic shapes. Kirk, too, mastered his instrument with control and finesse, from the softest delicate tones, to an emphatic, hearty fullness. His well-honed use of extended technique was both exquisitely exciting and so wonderfully executed that traditionally 'unconventional' sounds felt easy, flawlessly incorporated. Flutters, growls, bends and whispers, the light clinking of a metal mute against a cornet's bell; all were undeniably musical, intentional, meaningful.

Occasionally Knuffke lowered his horn to sing sweetly delivered, often-understated, repeated lines. Their simple messages and memories, profound sonic and lyrical truths were re-evoked as he seamlessly returned to the cornet. The communicative trio used collective space and individual musicianship to great effect, and a wonderful sense of presence and connection bound the performance. Through its diversity and breadth of influences, the show was driven by innovation, grounded by a consistent originality, for music that flowed uninterrupted and deep.

– Celeste Cantor-Stephens

– Dago Ulloa