Dream Archives by Craig Taborn with Tomeka Reid & Ches Smith

Review: Craig Taborn with Tomeka Reid & Ches Smith - Dream Archives

In September 2025, pianist Craig Taborn, guitarist Nels Cline, and drummer Marcus Gilmore released the much-praised Trio of Bloom. And just a few months later comes Dream Archives, another top-notch album from the pianist in a trio debut with cellist Tomeka Reid and percussionist Ches Smith. Some improv groups work within a specific stylistic area but not this band. Jazz, contemporary classical, a touch of punk-like edginess, and other elements come into play as the album unfolds. However, the result is not a pastiche; the sources that inform the music are transformed into an organic whole that is hard to classify. Dream Archives features four Taborn originals and two wisely chosen covers: Geri Allen's "When Kabuya Dances," which originally appeared on the late pianist's 1985 debut, The Printmakers, and a version of drummer Paul Motian's "Mumbo Jumbo." The contemplative opener, "Coordinates for the Absent," is spare yet fully fleshed out. Taborn carves out spacious right-hand shapes anchored by powerfully resonating bass tones. Vibes and electronics fleck the soundscape, and cello brings elegance and tension to the moody track.

Motian's writing is often marked by free-time rhythms and distinctive melodies, and "Mumbo Jumbo" contains both. Taborn and Reid nicely lay out the intriguing theme. A stretch of thorny improvisation includes Reid's almost-mournful sound. Then the group circles back to the head for this mysterious piece's conclusion. "When Kabuya Dances" starts off with Taborn alone at the piano, introducing the core material in a relatively low-key manner. His bandmates join him for the hard-driving, hypnotic second section. At one point, the trio shifts into a post-bop groove, where Taborn's expansive solo goes increasingly outside.

"Enchant" displays an affecting melodicism. The performance is finely shaped, flexible, and precise. Smith deploys a range of colors—among them vibraphone tones, brushed drums, and artful cymbal splashes. Reid's contributions include pizzicato runs that provide low-end oomph. Throughout, Taborn's playing fascinates whether he is tapping out treble-plinks or weaving lyrical passages. Subtle electronics add further dimension to this rich closer. © Fred Cisterna/Qobuz