2013 · Album
City of Asylum
Recorded 2012 · Sunnyside Records · Produced by Andrew Cyrille
Three Voices in Urgent Conversation
Cyrille, Davis, and Revis trade momentum like they're solving a puzzle in real time.
City of Asylum is a trio album where nothing settles. Kris Davis on piano, Eric Revis on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums move through these pieces as if they're being assembled in the moment — restless, tightly wound, full of small surprises. The piano doesn't sit behind the rhythm; it argues with it. The bass doesn't anchor; it questions. Cyrille's drumming here is precise and alert, never wasteful, always responding. There's an intensity to the conversation that keeps you leaning in.
This is trio jazz in the tradition of post-bop and free playing, but without the weight that sometimes comes with those labels. The music breathes. Pieces open with space, close with urgency. Davis has a sharp, modernist touch — her lines are economical, often dissonant, never decorative. Revis locks in and pivots, finding the pocket and then deliberately stepping out of it. Cyrille does exactly what he's known for: he swings while pushing against swing, keeping everything from settling into comfort.
For listeners already familiar with Cyrille's work with Cecil Taylor or his solo records, this represents something slightly more contained — three musicians rather than a full ensemble, a clearer harmonic anchor even as it's being challenged. It's an album that rewards close listening. Nothing is obvious, and nothing feels overdone.
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