Saxophonist Alex Murzyn and drummer Cal Haines met one another playing in the Friday afternoon jams at trumpeter Bobby Shew’s studio in Corrales, NM, and Haines was introduced to bassist Terry Burns on a local gig behind trumpeter Christine Fawson. Haines thought the three of them might work well together. He was correct, and the proof is their new album, Llano.

Long Shot Trio
Llano (indie)
A review
Recorded live in August 2020 at the Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, the Long Shot Trio’s debut album, Llano, finds three musicians with decades of experience on big stages across the country among them—Alex Murzyn, tenor and soprano saxes; Terry Burns, upright bass; and Cal Haines, drums—in top form on 11 tracks. The repertoire includes three fine originals, two from Burns and one from Murzyn, and eight compositions that range from James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” to George Cables’ “Helen’s Song,” which features a splendid guest appearance from Bobby Shew on flugelhorn.

“Helen’s Song” has all the qualities that recommend this album. The three members of the trio play in the service of the music and of the feeling. It’s a sign of their maturity as artists and of their respect for the material that they deliver just what the music needs, with no need to showboat or to embellish for the sake of embellishment. Nobody’s in a hurry, which is not to say they can’t burn it down when they want to. Rather, they let the moments bloom without pushing them. They let the music breathe. Burns and Haines open the track laying down a subtle groove that Murzyn and Shew ride into the head together, before each taking a solo. Shew studied architecture before he turned to music full-time, and he sure knows how to build things. His sensitivity, restraint, and impeccable technique deepen the tune.

Speaking of technique, the members of the trio are no slouches, either. Check out Burns’ nice touch on the opener, his composition “Tara,” which has an Irish air to it, or his solo on Pat Metheny’s “Is This America?”—a particularly affecting track that gets to the heart of Metheny’s disbelief regarding the devastation of Katrina and the inadequate federal response. Haines’ cymbal work is especially nice on this track, too, as is Murzyn’s understated solo. Burns and Haines open the famous Taylor tune, foreshadowing the coming drama, but Haines’ steady, gentle propulsion brings a persistent optimism to the track. Murzyn brings a mellow tone to the proceedings throughout and, playing just behind (“Tara”) or just ahead (Michael Brecker’s “Original Ray’s”) of the beat, a pleasant rhythmic tension. Check out his frisky work on “Original Ray’s” and the piercing simplicity of his take on “Fire and Rain.” On the title track, a Burns composition, the trio stretches the harmonies a bit, and on bassist Michael Glynn’s composition “The Bright Side,” the title track of Haines’ 2009 trio release, they trade the original bossa rhythm for a calypso—a nice touch—with Murzyn darting here and there.

Llano offers a satisfying and diverse collection of tunes, which the trio delivers with a sure, elegant touch and a palpable sense of pleasure in their work.

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