Blues in Blueprint

Bassist Clovis Nicolas plays with the building blocks of jazz on his 2026 trio album Blues in Blueprint. Named after the Duke Ellington song covered here, the album finds the French-born/New York-based instrumentalist exploring the varied harmonic, textural, and structural possibilities of the blues; the musical form from which jazz (not to mention most popular music) is built upon. Joining him are two veteran New York luminaries in pianist Larry Goldings and drummer Carl Allen. Together, they each bring a deep wealth of experience to the album which, while showcasing Nicolas, is imbued with a deep sense of collaborative group camaraderie. They open fittingly with "Old Stack OLee Blues," a relaxed midtempo number whose origin you can trace back to the 1910 American murder ballad "Stagger Lee." Here, they settle into the relaxed swing with a swaggering, nightclub elan. From there they leap into "Twisted Blues," punctuating the Wes Montgomery tune with Nicolas woody, Ray Brown-esque solo -- the latter an artist whose work with pianist Oscar Peterson feels ever present throughout the album. This is particularly true on their burnished, late-night reading of "One for My Baby and One More for the Road" and the slinky Ellington title track with its Broadway dancer snaps evoking the cool choreography of Bob Fosse. And while the trio always keep the vibe relaxed, they push at the edges of the blues form, especially with their originals like Goldings 13-bar minor blues "The Double Nickel" and Nicolas "Hutch," a playful homage to drummer Gregory Hutchinson that shows how the blues form can be expanded with a "rhythm changes" bridge. Equally surprising moments pop up elsewhere, including their rambunctious take on Ornette Colemans "Ramblin," their delicate rendering of Carla Bleys "Lawns," and the closing "Groovy Globy" with its funky, Ray Charles-meets-Ramsey Lewis energy. ~ Matt Collar