Grade: A
Lost Photograph
(Tzadik) In stores
now
The trio is a classic setting, and keyboardist Rob Burger seems
particularly at home in it. After establishing himself with the
acclaimed Tin Hat Trio, he makes his richly varied solo debut with two
of the finest rhythm players around, bassist Greg Cohen and drummer
Kenny Wollesen. The ensemble's combined, somewhat overlapping, credits
include Tom Waits, Bill Frisell, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Sex Mob
and John Zorn.
All three are uncommonly expressive players. While Lost Photograph
is more playful and less fierce than Tin Hat Trio's recordings, it's
just as eloquent. Mr. Burger makes the accordion as articulate as a
piano. He also plays everything from toy pianos to pump organs to
chamberlins to glockenspiels to music boxes. Mr. Burger's compositions
range just as widely. The lovely tracks include the klezmer-leaning
tango "Inzihuat," melancholy piano waltz "Linguist From Latvia," haunted
fun-house theme "Arturo, the Aqua Boy" and even a loungey-spooky number,
"Storyteller," that sounds like space-age bachelor Esquivel and Los
Lobos (circa Kiko) teaming up at a bat mitzvah.
- Parry Gettelman / The Dallas Morning News
