Here Comes The Flood: Plunge: Dancing On Thin Ice

Plunge (l. to r.) Mark McGrain, James Singleton, Tim Green
photos: Cheryl Gerber

Plunge, an experimental jazz trio from New Orleans, recorded their sophomore album Dancing On Thin Ice on April 14 and 15 this year. Trombonist Mark McGrain, saxophonist Tim Green, and bassist James Singleton all have impressive musical credentials (Herbie Hancock, Peter Gabriel, John Scofield, Medeski Martin & Wood to name a few).

Plunge evolves around Mark McGrain - he recorded the band's debut album with three different musicians - and he composed all the tracks. It's mostly improvised though, with the signature plucking an sucking sounds of James Singleton's bass leading the way. McGrain is able to play his trombone so quietly that you need pair of serious of headphones to appreciate his phrasing. Tim Green is more of a post-bop player who can play around the notes, especially in Luminata No. 257. The trio truly create their own new sound when they mix electro with jazz in the rather spooky One Man's Machine and the change of pace they used for Orion Rising which starts like a gentle stroll slowly turinng into a frenetic walk - the musical equivalent fast-forwarding a movie.

Dancing On Thin Ice is for the inner circle of open minded music lovers. This being the internet age with the analogy of the long tail making headway, a trio like Plunge is able to invite their scattered world-wide audience to their party. RSVP.