American bassist Mark Helias has played with the likes of Ed Blackwell, Don Cherry, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor and Muhal Richard Abrams. Here, though, he occupies the leader spot himself with the trio he founded in the mid-1990s; Rainey's been there since the start, with Malaby arriving only slightly later. Helias is solely responsible for most of the compositions, all of which leave plenty of space for open form improvisation – and the lack of a chordal instrument (except when Helias goes in for bowed, gliding double-stops, as in the middle of ‘Ça Vous Gene’) means it really is open. He also makes good on his claim, in the liner notes, to demonstrate the potential of the bass as ‘an amazing house full of sonic possibilities’. With Tom Rainey and Tony Malaby reliably brilliant too, this is a highly recommended release from a band that is a staple of the New York improvising scene.