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Rob Wasserman
Trilogy
(Rounder)
First Appeared in The Music Box, October 2004, Volume 11, #10
Written by John Metzger
Over the course of the past 25 years, Rob Wasserman has performed with the
David Grisman Quintet, Bruce Cockburn, Van Morrison, and Elvis Costello, but he
is, perhaps, best-known for his efforts with ensembles fronted by Lou Reed and
the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir. Despite his busy schedule, he managed to find the
time to record an intriguing three-installment series of albums (Solo,
Duets, and Trios) that delves into the essence of jazz, rock, pop,
and classical music only to reformulate the genres in ways that expose the
awesome power of the upright bass as well as Wasserman’s own uniquely intuitive
style. Naturally, each outing builds upon the nuances of its predecessor, and
repackaged as three-disc set titled Trilogy, which also features a pair
of bonus tracks, the collection takes on a fresh life of its own that makes the
whole appear, at times, greater than the sum of its parts.
Solo is undoubtedly the most enlightening of Wasserman’s recordings,
simply because there is no other accompaniment to distract from his inventive
and versatile approach. Whether exploring George and Ira Gershwin’s Lady Be
Good, the airy ambience of Bass Space, or the frenetic twist on
Good Lovin’ titled Freedom Bass Dance, the sounds that he coaxes from
his instrument are stunningly captivating. Indeed, he makes the complexities of
his performances seem uncommonly easy as he dexterously delivers a veritable
one-man-band display of melody, harmony, and rhythm.
Duets only improves upon the success of Solo, largely because the
intricacies of Wasserman’s work become more accessible when he is surrounded by
a variety of exquisite vocalists, all of whom risk as much he does in
interpreting the material with such supremely heartfelt emotion. Although there
are a few other instrumental flourishes provided by his collaborators — Lou
Reed’s snarling guitar on One for My Baby (And One More for the Road) and
Stephane Grappelli’s unfathomably magnificent violin accompaniment on Over
the Rainbow, for example — the bass still plays the most prominent role in
the music. His and Aaron Neville’s interpretation of the Hoagy
Carmichael/Mitchell Parish-penned Stardust is a dazzling thing of beauty;
the pair of tunes recorded with Rickie Lee Jones (The Moon Is Made of Gold
and the bonus track Autumn Leaves) are each lovingly painted jazz
masterpieces; and the Grammy-winning Brothers, which features Bobby
McFerrin’s inimitable articulations, is positively radiant. Because the
arrangements are so sparse, they leave plenty of room in which Wasserman can
maneuver, and as a result, he is able to work his magic on every selection,
formulating a series of intoxicating grooves that bubble profusely with his
imaginative and daring inclinations.
Oddly enough, it’s Trios that falters the most, and this is likely a
result of the many big-name stars drawn to the project, the songs’ considerably
busier orchestrations, and the lengthy, five-year span in which it was recorded.
Still, that doesn’t mean that the set doesn’t contain some truly wonderful
nuggets that match the startling beauty of the music on Duets. Perhaps,
the finest moment on the album is the spirited union of Wasserman, Bruce
Hornsby, and Branford Marsalis on a delightful journey through White-Wheeled
Limousine, although the ebullient collaboration with Elvis Costello and Marc
Ribot on Put Your Big Toe in the Milk of Human Kindness ranks a close
second. Elsewhere, Brian and Carnie Wilson lend a sparking, majestic sheen to
Fantasy Is Realty/Bells of Madness; Jerry Garcia and Edie Brickell assist in
sculpting a strangely compelling work on Zillionaire; and Wasserman puts
his virtuosic stamp upon the Rolling Stones’ classic (I Can’t Get No)
Satisfaction.
Part of the problem with Trios, however, is that its experiments, such
as the frenetic blues explored with Les Claypool and Chris Whitley on Home Is
Where You Get Across and the second improvisation with Jerry Garcia and Edie
Brickell (American Popsicle), don’t work fully and inevitably fall prey
to the notion of being more superficially interesting than functional. Yet, even
on the lesser tracks, there’s a playful sense of unbridled enthusiasm among the
collaborators that is downright infectious. In the end, Wasserman successfully
achieves the objective he set forth on Solo: to expand the boundaries
that typically confine bass players and provide a guide that enables them to
play a more integral role in the construction of popular music in all its forms.  ½
Ratings for the Individual Albums
Solo — ½
Duets —
Trios —
Trilogy is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
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Solo is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
Click Here!
Duets is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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Trios is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004
The Music Box
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