2016 · Album
In Movement
Recorded 2015 · ECM · Produced by Not specified in verified sources
Three Musicians Finding Their Shape
DeJohnette, Coltrane, and Garrison move together with purpose, never rushing, always listening.
In Movement finds Jack DeJohnette working with Ravi Coltrane on saxophone and Matthew Garrison on bass in a trio setting recorded in 2015. This is DeJohnette's territory — he knows how to lead without dominating, how to leave space for others to breathe. The album sits comfortably in his catalog, a solid entry rather than a reinvention. If you already know DeJohnette's work, this will feel natural. If you're new to him, you might want to start elsewhere, but there's nothing wrong with landing here.
What makes this recording work is the patience all three bring to it. There's no rushing to prove anything, no one trying to outplay the others. Coltrane's tenor has a warm, exploratory quality — he's not his father, doesn't try to be, and that's the right move. Garrison's bass work anchors things without getting in the way. DeJohnette keeps time the way only he can, making the drums sound like they're part of the conversation rather than just keeping score. The music breathes in and out naturally.
The ECM label recording is clean and focused, which suits this kind of deliberate playing. These are working musicians doing what they've done many times before, but there's craft in that repetition. It's not flashy. It doesn't try to be. That's either exactly what you want from a trio record or not what you want at all, depending on your mood. In Movement is worth hearing if you're already interested in any of these players, or if you want to hear what happens when skilled people simply play together without agenda.
