MUSIC . Music Picks

Stephan Crump's Rosetta Trio

Thu., June 10, 8 and 9:45 p.m., $12, Chris' Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St., 215-568-3131, chrisjazzcafe.com.


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Published: Jun 8, 2010

jazz

Southern accents have borne the brunt of cheap jokes for so long, it's easy to underestimate the intelligence of anyone with a drawl. The same mistake could be made with Memphis-born bassist Stephan Crump's all-string Rosetta Trio, which comes across with such a simple folksiness that its serious craft and musicianship could be missed on a casual listen. Crump's chops are more aggressively on display in his role as longtime bassist for pianist Vijay Iyer's stellar trio, and guitarists Liberty Ellman and Jamie Fox have names like Henry Threadgill, Steve Coleman, Dr. John and Joan Baez on their résumés, but as Rosetta the three settle back into porch-swing avant-gardism. Beneath the homespun intimacy dwells an idiosyncratic sophistication, as they travel roads no less idiosyncratic for being unpaved, and engage each other with an intensity belied by the apparent relaxation.

Thu., June 10, 8 and 9:45 p.m., $12, Chris' Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St., 215-568-3131, chrisjazzcafe.com.