CHRIS WABICH, 1978 (Steep)

In addition to a deep solo discography dating back to 1998, veteran, supremely versatile drummer Chris Wabich has enjoyed a rollicking, multi-genre career that includes stints with the likes of Ludacris, Sting, the Zappa Family, Omar Furik, Stanley Jordan, Mark Murphy, Brian Bromberg and Leonard Cohen.

He draws particularly on the poetic influences of Cohen, Furik and Murphy on his inviting and immersive, alternately meditative, easy grooving and wildly intoxicating trio date 1978 (Steep), an enigmatically titled 40-minute set (with equally esoteric and offbeat track titles that showcase his expansive rhythmic prowess in perfect, effortless and intuitive synch with bassist Dan Lutz and pianist Josh Nelson.

Since so much of Nelson’s session work tends to be with the L.A. jazz scenes most prominent indie vocalists, it’s an exciting ongoing revelation to hear his expressive, elegantly soulful and often poppin’ ivory work on Wabich’s unique, challenging and mood swinging pieces. Wabich and Nelson’s most fascinating, emotionally impactful is the highly impressionistic “Magitama (on Slow Skinkansen),” an impressionistic gem featuring some of Nelson’s most colorful and inventive improvisations.

While Lutz provides easy grooving support throughout, he gets a few knockout moments of his own, most prominently on extended plucky solo on the abstract 7/8 masterpiece “Ruby on the Old Street/1978.”