Xaver Fischer Trio – Xaver Fischer Trio

The Xaver Fischer Trio’s eponymous album proves that acid jazz isn’t a moribund genre. The grooves are mellow and the jazziness is spread thick like whipped honey butter. Mr. Fischer occasionally goes wild on the keys, like on “Krakatau,” but more often, he’s more restrained. On “Bass of Space,” the trio goes a little moodier with a nice kick to keep things moving. “Gargamel” and “Palenque” ease into more wistful emotions, but still with that living feel. The album, thankfully, doesn’t sound too processed (except for maybe “I Believe,” with its pat vocals) so it keeps it real. And really, what more could you ask for?