Interesting one this on paper, The Bell is looking like a mid-January release and is the work of a new heavyweight improv trio featuring Ches Smith, Mat Maneri and Craig Taborn (above l-r) to be released on ECM.

Drummer Smith, pianist Taborn and viola player Maneri debuted at Winter Jazz Fest in New York last year (see video).

Very much a Vortex kind of band these are all top rank avant players, Smith’s credits including stints with John Zorn and with Marc Ribot and he’s also in Snakeoil too with Tim Berne. One of his recent appearances I really enjoyed was with Matt Mitchell, reviewed here.

In this new trio he has picked out formidable avant soul mates in Taborn and Maneri, both featured heavily on ECM already in recent years. This new album has Smith compositions and is packed with plenty of free improv.