‘In Flower, In Song’ is the debut album from Trio Xolo, an improvising group composed of bassist Zachary Swanson, saxophonist Derrick Michaels, and percussionist Dalius Naujo. With a telepathic ear toward musical interplay, Trio Xolo performs free-flowing stream of consciousness improvisations. The result is true, in the moment composition. The trio moves together dynamically as their voices simultaneously overlap and converge into one. In Flower, In Song was recorded live in one room and unveils a warm, organic sound: Swanson’s distinctive use of gut strings produce a dark, woody tone, Michaels draws robust color from a vintage saxophone, and Naujo expresses a nuanced control of energy and dynamics. Through explorations of melody, atmosphere, and texture, they can either embrace or dispel the traditional hierarchy of the trio format. At its core, Trio Xolo creates music that seeks to capture the essence of the moment through deep listening.
I had the opportunity to have a conversation with bassist, Zachary Swanson ahead of the album’s release. We got into how the moments were born, the flow of the sound and what we both found really cool was at the end of the day, the songs presented in an ‘order’ in a collection, we actually in the order that they were conceived. This in the now making of art, such as ‘In Flower, In Song’ has been in the front and back and even the sides of my mind, so getting more time with someone who lives in it, was special. Just like this record. The exploration finds will find a home behind your ears and gets right into the veins of my moods. This record will assist in taking your time and finding new ways to spend it, opening paths that were unseen and it’s up to you to go blaze that trail. Take Trio Xolo with you on the journey.
Release Date: August 19, 2022 on 577 Records
Compositions by Zachary Swanson, BMI
