Fifteen [CD]

Fifteen, the first album from the collective trio of saxophonist and flutist Henry Threadgill, pianist Vijay Iyer, and drummer Dafnis Prieto, takes its name from the number of years the trio has been performing together—first at a series of benefits for the New York City club the Jazz Gallery, a club they have since played at periodically, and then around the US and internationally. It comprises three compositions by Threadgill and Iyer and two by Prieto.

Threadgill, Iyer, and Prieto are three of the most celebrated composer-performers of our time. Their collective project, informally dubbed “The Trio,” began in 2012 when Rio Sakairi from the Jazz Gallery called upon these three acclaimed musicians to participate in a fundraiser. Despite their preexisting musical ties, they all felt a unique spark in the mysterious flow of this musical encounter. They have steadily developed the project over the ensuing years, each musician serving as a composer and creative soloist, bringing each of their distinct backgrounds and strong personalities into the group dynamic.

Their shared composer orientation gives the ensemble a special, continually evolving quality. These artists are not only electrifying performers, but also visionary creators and thinkers. As Threadgill states, “each time we come together to perform, it seems brand new… We’ve got three composers here. Every time the music changes, it holds up a different world, because it’s coming from a different place—because of each one of us, [and] our different approaches to composition.”