The Palomar Trio

The Song In Our Soul

Turtle Bay, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Sound In Our Soul

The Palomar Trio, i.e. Dan Levinson, Mark Shane and Kevin Dorn, bring us back to the early stages of swing music, and they put a fresh coast of paint across 11 tracks that helped jazz transition into a new era.

The bouncy keys from Shane suits Dorn’s frisky drums across the rhythmic opener, “Keep A Song In Your Soul”, and “Delta Bound” follows with Levinson’s rich clarinet guiding the calm spirit of the rumbling climate.

Halfway through, the dance floor ready “El Rado Scuffle” blends the lively keys with Levinson’s bright tenor sax, while “It’s Been So Long” showcases the playful clarinet, warm keys and light drumming via the retro landscape.

Landing near the end, the aptly titled “Rompin’ In ‘44” carries an animated energy of fluid melodies and toe tappin’, head bobbin’ fun, and “River, Stay ‘Way From My Door” exits with firm piano, drumming acrobatics and Levinson’s reed prowess.

The influences from legends like Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton and Gene Krupa won’t go unappreciated, as the trio swing with a timeless, harmonic and rich appeal that populates this really exciting body of work.

Travels well with: Jeremy Monteiro- Sings; Jim Self- Touch And Go