Mayhem That Still Swings
Pullen's most listener-friendly disc, a trio where the piano keeps its wildness but never loses the groove.
Random Thoughts opens the way a conventional piano trio record might, with Don Pullen laying down a theme that sounds almost settled. Then, before long, he starts piling up his trademark glissandos and keyboard-shuffling clusters, treating the instrument less like a keyboard and more like a big, glittering percussion board. The rhythm section of James Genus on bass and Lewis Nash on drums keeps everything anchored, so the wildness never really loses the groove.
The session is a trio date, just piano, bass and drums, recorded in 1990 for Blue Note. Pullen was an artist who often seemed bent on pianistic mayhem, and that's still here, but this record is one of his more user-friendly discs. With only bass and drums between him and the listener, there's nowhere for the sound to hide, and Pullen doesn't try to hide it. AllMusic reviewer Richard S. Ginell praised the album at 4.5 out of 5, noting that Pullen makes even fearsome things seem approachable.
If you want to hear Pullen at his most playful and direct, this is a good entry point. It isn't his most adventurous record, and it isn't a deep dive into his more experimental side, but it's a fun, swinging trio album by an artist who could be difficult elsewhere. Start with Random Thoughts (1990) to hear him at ease in a small group.
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