We all know that the traditional lineup for New Orleans-style classic jazz entails a trumpet, reed, trombone and tuba. Piano and drums may even seem extraneous.
The aptly named Little Jazz Trio features a steady bassist, Bob Lyna; a hot rhythm guitarist, Harvey Nusbaum; and a golden-toned brassman, Ray Sturge.
All three players vocalize. But no ’bone, no clarinet, no sousaphone…no matter.
First formed in 2004 with different personnel, the Syracuse-based trio has released its debut disc, Meet The Little Jazz Trio, recorded at Hobin Studios in Baldwinsville, a suburb northwest of the city of Syracuse in Central New York state.
The current lineup has been together for five years.
So okay, there’s no tailgate trombone nor trebly clarinet, but the trio’s sound feels plenty full as is with sincere and sometimes soaring performances.
Ten tuneful tracks
The CD’s ten tracks include seven trad-jazz standards, a South American carnival tune, a popular TV-theme and an original instrumental by Harv Nusbaum.
Ray Sturge, a multi-instrumentalist and educator who also serves as director of the Lyncourt, N.Y. Community Band, kicks off the disc singing “Buddy Bolden’s Blues,” one of the earliest jazz tunes ever. The trio’s arrangement focuses on Ray’s marvelously muted cornet and his bold vocal punctuated by shouts and snorts. We gotta figure Buddy would absolut
