We give you over to the artists to fill you in:

“The Actual Trio’s eponymous 2015 album, [guitarist John] Schott’s third for John Zorn’s boutique label, features his long-working band, Actual Trio:  bassist Dan Seamans (New Klezmer Trio, Lost Trio) and drummer John Hanes (Henry Kaiser, Victor Krummenacher). The disc was produced by Hans Wendl, whose production credits include Don Byron, Charlie Haden, Ravi Shankar and Bill Frisell, and was recorded at Berkeley’s legendary Fantasy Studios.

*Marrying deep pockets of groove and joyful swing to wayward harmonies and spontaneous excursions, Actual Trio is that rare bird: a high-minded and concentrated modern jazz record that is engaging and accessible. Marking the band’s album debut, Actual Trio is a perfect demonstration of the group’s undeniable chemistry, spare and lean playing, and fabulous telepathic improvising evident from the first notes of ‘ERIA’ that opens the disc. Displaying an extraordinary technical command, Schott uses the guitar vernacular organically as a unifying element. The relaxed integrity and graceful strength that Schott, Seamans and Hanes bring to Actual Trio recalls classic guitar trio records such as Pat Metheny’s ‘Bright Size Life’ and John Abercrombie’s ‘Gateway.’

“Other passages may bring to mind the blues liquidity of Jimi Hendrix or James ‘Blood’ Ulmer’s spiky dissonances. Unlike the genre-busting compositions and extravagant orchestrations of Schott’s previous records, this album’s approach is pure and simple. Actual Trio was recorded live in the studio, one session, without effects or overdubbing, and with minimal editing. This without-a-net approach, says Schott, ‘exposes a musician, which can be humbling, but results in something uniquely honest and direct.'”

Continuing their explication, Actual Trio notes that, 

“We’ve played so much together, we just needed to get in there and press ‘go.’

“Formed in 2011 to play a monthly gig at the Actual Café in Oakland, California, this deeply bonded trio exercises virtuoso listening, and brings Schott’s compositions to vivid life.”