David Dower Trio is based in Melbourne, Australia, but given a cursory listen you’d swear they were a Bulgarian music collective. That’s because atop their Ben Folds-style arrangements they often use Bulgarian vocalists and lyricists and actually recorded in Sofia, Bulgaria. Their albums are a fascinating cultural mashup way beyond Paul Simon or David Byrne, of which Mravka is their third.
The core group features David Dower (piano), Luke Fowler (bass) and Matt Fisher (drums). They describe their music as a “true amalgamation of genres” including pop, jazz and rock, with influences from the Ben Folds Five, The Bad Plus, Brad Mehldau, Squarepusher and traditional Bulgarian choral music. Their tracks feature “distorted-fuzz-bass, drum-and-bass break-downs and powerful ballads. There are multi-meter Bulgarian choir songs that both flow and have a strong back-beat.” Along with band tours in the UK and Bulgaria, the trio have performed at the Bansko International Jazz Festival, the Burgas Jazz Festival among many others. They’ve also had airtime on BBC3 radio, ABC Radio, Bulgarian Jazz FM, PBS Melbourne and Soundbytes in the United States. Like reviewers before me, I was surprised when the first song “Selo” did not start with a classic power trio sound, but instead featured the eerie yet beautiful vocals by the Bulgarian Choir (Rayna Vasileva, Pirina Hristova and Gabriela Milanova) singing lyrics by Mariana Vasileva. When the trio kicks in, they have a tight jazz sound with acoustic piano that recalls Keith Emerson. The vocals are not just introductory, however, in that they continue to follow and provide counterpoint to the jazzy melodies. I don’t have an extensive jazz background but have always enjoyed keyboard-based prog rock (E.L.P., Yes, etc.) so this music feels somewhat familiar, while the addition of the Bulgarian singers takes it nowhere I’ve remotely been before. It’s a new and quite beautiful combination of sounds and melodies. This six-minute track has four distinct sections, culminating in a glorious full-circle conclusion that even uses some fuzz guitar or bass. The next track “Kopanitsa” is a straight instrumental that (like the band’s previous release) showcases Zhivko Vasilev on the Bulgarian Kaval, a flute-style instrument. Musically it sounds like a flute made of wood, which is pretty much what it is. It’d be cliche to compare this track to the more prog leanings of Jethro Tull, but for the layman that might be a good touchstone. Dower’s compositional prowess is on full display, as the composition features compelling, ever changing melodies against playful yet accessible time signatures. The title track “Mravka” pares the music down to just the trio, with the piano and bass performing Dower’s complex melodies in perfect sync. Fowler is able to get a sound from his bass somewhere between Jaco Pastorius and an acoustic standup bass. Dower is no slouch either, as his piano playing is energetic, playful and joyous. And so he’s not left out, Matt Fishers’ drums are spot on, constantly inventive and breathtakingly precise. I love the vocal tracks but this is a clear instrumental highlight. “Tell Me What You See” is quite different again, with a classical piano intro and a lovely, torch-like lead vocal by Vesela Morova. The core trio is also augmented beautifully by Tristan Reblen’s horns and Elliot Frost’s guitar. This track has the sophistication of one of the better show tunes by Andrew Lloyd Webber, along with a solo piano middle section. “Syanka” brings back the Bulgarian choir from the first track with the Kaval from the second. This time the singers hit some high notes that in a different context could have come from a Kate Bush LP. At other points the choruses feel like chants. The music is both sweet and dark, with a lot of dramatic interplay between the piano and woodwind. “I Don’t Like Mondays” is an instrumental cover of the classic Boomtown Rats track, which was an eerie callout to convicted sniper Brenda Spencer. Without vocals, Dower really gets to dig into the melodic nuances, though as with the original it can’t help but feel creepy and disturbing. The closing track “Freya” is finally just the trio once more, and it very much feels like music for dousing the candles and nestling with a hot water bottle beneath the sheets. Dower’s piano takes most of the stage with tasteful backup from Fowler and Fisher, making this a piano showcase until the last minute or so. A gentle and fitting capper. If you like jazz, prog and world music, you can’t do better than this compelling collection!
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