Trio Mio
Stories Around a Holy Goat
GO' Danish Folk Music (www.gofolk.dk)

Following up on their sweet 2005 release Pigeon Folk Pieces, Trio Mio continues its trend of fiddling about, literally and figuratively, with folk-soaked original music. There's much to love here, and a bit to skip over. The superb musicianship and thoughtful but not overly tricky arrangements are a carry-over from their previous work. Kristine Heebøll's violin is at the core of it all, and her bow dances and sails over the intricate melody lines. Jens Ulvsand on bouzouki and guitar has the ability to spin complex rhythms on a dime and rip off clean melodic licks without breaking a sweat. Nikolaj Busk's work on keys is powerful and sensitive, if occasionally going all soft and new-age mushy in the middle. All three contribute compositions, and it's a testament to their cohesiveness that the tracks here flow so naturally from one to the next. "Julias Vals/Klippen på Koster," a collaborative composition, builds up to a commanding crescendo with the welcome bite of guest Anders Ådin's hurdy-gurdy. Heebøll's "Bryllupsvals til Mari og Johnny" is an elegant wedding waltz, simple in its elements but gracefully executed. The snazzy Appalachian-flavored reel "10 Points" is evocative of "Over the Waterfall" with its descending melody line. The problems? Well, there's Busk's self-indulgent John Tesh-ish piano noodling on the otherwise nicely episodic "Etna/Philostratus Revenge." Then there's "Pigeon Scottish," which is actually a tango. This one must have seemed like a good idea at the time, but at well over eight minutes, it overstays its welcome. The fact that these are the two longest tracks on the disc might indicate that Trio Mio is at its best when it keeps things short, sweet, and light. - Peggy Latkovich.

CD available from cdRoots

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