Pete Roth Trio & Bill Bruford - Group Chat (2026)
Pete Roth Trio feat. Bill Bruford – Group Chat — 67/100
The interaction is the main strength. Pete Roth, Mike Pratt and Bill Bruford really do sound like three equal musicians reacting to each other rather than a guitarist with a rhythm section. That gives the album a lot of life, especially on the more open pieces.
“Group Chat” is still my favourite. It has the best balance between structure and freedom, with enough dissonance and movement to keep the improvisation from becoming vague.
“Looking Forward To Looking Back” is another strong track because it has more groove and a clearer shape than some of the rest. The Dvořák improvisation is interesting too, mainly because it changes the colour of the album and gives it a more chamber-like atmosphere.
The problem is that I remember the playing more than the compositions. Several pieces are enjoyable while they are happening, but leave less behind afterward than I would want from a 70+ jazz album.
Bruford is excellent, but that alone cannot carry the score. His return is interesting historically, but the album still has to work as an album rather than as an event.
clearly above standard good jazz, with real personality and interaction, but not memorable or emotionally strong enough for the remarkable zone.
67/100
❤️ Favourite track: “Group Chat”
+ Excellent three-way interplay
+ Strong balance between composition and improvisation
+ Enough stylistic variety to avoid generic fusion
– The compositions are less memorable than the performances
– Emotional impact is fairly limited
– Some sections feel more interesting than replayable
Genre: Progressive Jazz
Country: UK
Final Verdict: 67% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 116th / 725
Highlight: Group Chat
Made me think of:
Allan Holdsworth
John Abercrombie
Pat Metheny
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