TREVOR ROBERTSON, Bright Colors

Restless, shape-shifting and gloriously unpredictable, Bright Colors announces Brooklyn-based bassist and composer Trevor Robertson as an adventurous bandleader with a gift for transforming an eclectic musical imagination into a vivid, ever-evolving soundscape. Blending post-bop jazz, Western classical, Afro-Cuban rhythms, psychedelic fusion and hard-driving rock, this live-recorded debut moves from intricately interwoven violin and bass passages to fiery guitar excursions, hypnotic percussion and smoky saxophone improvisations. Yet beneath its stylistic daring lies a deeply personal tribute to Robertson’s late partner, Iesha Spence, celebrating the vitality of her life and the enduring spirit of ashe.

Robertson resists the idea that the bass should remain confined to a supporting role. Throughout these 11 tracks, his double bass becomes a remarkably expressive lead voice, darting through intricate rhythmic patterns, alternating between bowed lyricism and muscular pizzicato runs, and establishing grooves that propel the ensemble into unexpected territory.

The title track sets the tone with a whirlwind of dancing bass, animated violin, nimble saxophone and distorted guitar, shifting effortlessly between buoyant swing, soulful funk and explosive jazz-rock. Seoyeon Im’s violin and Hina Oikawa’s saxophone trade the spotlight, while Charles Colizza’s guitar adds both fluid jazz phrasing and searing rock intensity.

The quintet’s chemistry is equally apparent on “Intersection,” where hypnotic percussion, thumping drums, atmospheric guitar and expressive violin gradually converge in a richly textured, rhythmically charged journey. Elsewhere, “Hyacinth Season” offers a more tender counterpoint, pairing searching violin lines with languid guitar harmonies, while “Ibae” unfolds as a haunting, slow-burning ballad featuring bowed bass, delicate guitar and an especially affecting violin performance. At the other extreme, “The Axe Did Not Forget, for Alas! It Was Made Out of Wood” plunges into turbulent avant-garde territory, its fractured textures and distorted guitar passages balanced by Robertson’s commanding rhythmic presence.

The album’s live recording approach adds another dimension to its spontaneous character. Captured at three Brooklyn venues, the performances benefit from the interplay of musicians who have worked together in different combinations over several years - yet were playing as a complete quintet for the first time. Robertson describes the ideal improvisational ensemble as one that balances familiarity with uncertainty, allowing musicians to anticipate trusted collaborators while remaining open to unexpected turns. That dynamic is audible throughout Bright Colors, where tightly conceived arrangements become launching pads for spontaneous exchanges and individual discoveries.

The expansive “The Deepest” and propulsive “On” further explore the ensemble’s psychedelic edge, while “More Powerful Than You Can Possibly Imagine” builds from smoky, understated saxophone into a sweeping fusion workout. The return of “Hyacinth Season (Slight Return)” provides a graceful bookend, its violin-and-guitar interplay evolving from delicate lyricism into a more animated instrumental dance before settling into a reflective close.

Robertson explains that he focused less on expressing the pain of losing Iesha than on celebrating the qualities he loved in her. His guiding conviction is that art can outlive any individual, allowing something of her spirit to endure through music. That philosophy gives Bright Colors its deeper resonance: an adventurous, multifaceted work that embraces experimentation while honoring a life whose influence continues to inspire.