Borderlands Trio 12/7/18 Firehouse 12

Final installment of the fall F-12 series has Borderlands Trio. Kris Davis on piano, Stephan Crump on standup bass, and Eric McPherson on drums. Canadian pianist Davis had a lithe beginning with full key runs sounding like a harp. I seem to recall Crump is Harry Chapin's son-in-law, as he is married to NY folkie Jen Chapin. Crump is a staple at the Firehouse, performing with Mary Halvorsen, his own Rosetta group, and holding down bass detail for the wonderful Vijay Iyer. He started with some body tapping before launching into a funk groove backdrop. McPherson abides by the "less is more" ethos, subtly keeping  the trio in time. The second long piece, with prepared piano had a sinister movie score vibe. Crump is a character, with his facial gestures seeming to coax sounds from the bass. First time I have seen Davis, and she expertly veered from Cecil Taylor to Keith Jarrett to the beloved but belated Esbjorn Svenson. It's always sad to pack up F-12s live offerings for a few months, but the joy of perusing the Spring calendar is worth the wait.