The Ron Brooks Trio

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The various trios that Brooks has led over the years have all had their strong points; the current version, with Tad Weed on piano and Pete Siers on drums, is perhaps the most rhythmically complex of them all. Weed is a versatile, swinging, two-fisted player who likes to accentuate chords with his left hand while spinning complex lines with his right. These jabs provide a perfect opportunity for drummer Siers, who often dances around Weed's rhythms and Brooks's steady bass. The result is a powerful yet flexible propulsion that drives the music forward with great swing. The trio also like to vary the pulse and intensity of the music, so that the textures and moods shift from tune to tune. All of this is much in evidence on their latest CD, Three B in Flight — as well as every Tuesday and Thursday night at the Bird of Paradise.   

[Originally published in February, 2002.]