The Conduit Trio

The Conduit trio is an all-original jazz instrumental trio from New Mexico that focuses on new architectures of composition and improvisation.

On their debut BEYOND LIQUID GLASS, The Conduit Trio defies traditional boundaries combining diverse elements in unconventional ways. Every song forms its own narrative and conveys a rich musical conversation with the listener. There is a wide array of styles from the groove-oriented Smelling Salt to the languid and reflective Melancholia to the atonal and intellectually motivated Emerson. Coalescing melodic lines akin to Pat Metheny with cinematic elements similar to Philip Glass, BEYOND LIQUID GLASS steers itself over many peaks and valleys taking the listener on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Although propelling itself through disparate genres, the album contains a fluid coherence evoking the music of Bill Frisell, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Medeski, Martin & Wood and Jeff Beck.

Composed of Robert Branch on guitar and piano, David Furnas on bass and Joshua English on drums, the Conduit Trio was created as a project of an inclusive nature focused on the sum of the parts with no part having a greater function than any of the others. Each note played has a purpose and is meant to be a part of a larger musical conversation. The interaction between the musicians is based not only on listening, but spontaneity, creating a sense of drama as the audience is constantly kept guessing what is coming next. “Improvisation is all about living in the moment,” says Branch. “It helps keep us on our toes so that we are at least somewhat prepared for whatever may happen next. Instead of forcing a musical idea into an improvisation, listening and keeping an open mind allows ideas to flow out naturally.”

On BEYOND LIQUID GLASS, the Conduit Trio transmits a freedom and a sense of intellectual rigor with the passing of every tune. Sometimes juxtaposing extremes, they do so in a conscious, methodical manner melding each song into a soulful entity ripe with rhythmic diversity and variation. The musical performances contain a special chemistry and dynamic contrast creating a vast array of expression drawing the listener closer. In a world of music that is over-simplified and highly commercialized, the Conduit Trio provides a much-needed return to emotional realism in modern jazz.