Sarah Spencer’s Global Ramblers • The Trio Sessions, Vol. 1

This trio album is, broadly speaking, the most "traditional" of my reviews this month. That's saying something considering a mere 18 months ago the means by which it was recorded were unfamiliar to most of us. This reeds, piano, drums combo were joined together from around the world, aided by connection speeds that has only recently made such collaborations easy. For each of the ten tracks you can find a split screen video on the Bandcamp page for the album if you'd like to peek in at their recording spaces. It's the most traditional of this months reviews musically, but that isn't to say it isn't exciting. Sarah Spencer is a Brit who pursued her love for New Orleans jazz in the US for 20 years before recently returning home. Her groups are founded in the slow ensemble heat of that city, and her choice of material speaks to that history. There's a beautiful and hot version of "When You and I were Young, Maggie", other tracks include "Beautiful Ohio", "San", "All that I Ask is Love", "If I could be with you One Hour Tonight" and "Mary Wore a Golden Chain". On the last, which closes the album, the trio is joined by Jesper Capion Larsen on clarinet. Hal Smith gets plenty of work providing that New Orleans beat and also a few chances to strut. Hugh Crozier at the piano stays primarily in a supportive role, though he does get a few nice runs you will want to hone in on. He also provi