Trey Wright Thinks Out Loud

Trey Wright began playing guitar at 15. Initially inspired by the blues, Trey was exposed to jazz early in his development as a player. As fate would have it, it was that exposure that would eventually lead him to the University of Georgia, become a professional musician, and then to co-found jazz group, Squat, a band who in and of itself has released six albums. Today, Trey Wright still lives in Georgia and still plays with Squat. Now armed with a Masters degree in music he teaches all that he has learned to students similar to his former self while still finding time to record his own project. Thinking Out Loud is his debut for Blue Canoe Records and it shows his diversity not only as a fan of music but his ability as a guitarist as well.

Wright's trio, made up of himself on guitar, Marc Miller on upright bass, and Marlon Patton on drums, are a super tight and relaxed trio who make the songs on Thinking Out Loudsound almost too easy. Their complicated technical playing is crisp, clear, and emotionally intriguing. Whether it's their own material or covers by Soundgarden and Thom Yorke, the trio are spot on song after song. In fact, Soundgarden's "Blow Up the Outside World," is so incredibly un-Soundgarden like you would never know that it was the same song. Trey Wright and his compatriots take each song on Thinking Out Loud and make them their own. They feel the songs, they live the songs, they are the songs and in fact that's what allows them to be so proficient. These guys not only know how to play and manipulate their instruments they know how to make them and the songs intellectually and aurally stirring.

Thinking Out Loud is fantastic stuff that's incredibly played and subtle in its nature. Even at it's loudest, Thinking Out Loud goes about it's intricate way without raising to much fuss except to say look how good these songs sound and how tightly their bonded together. I loved the fact that not only has Trey Wright composed his own material but he's taken songs that you would probably never think of having the potential to actually be jazz songs and arranged them so perfectly that anyone who appreciates music will immediately respect and admire this trio for it's sheer amount of talent.

He may be inspired by the blues but Trey Wright has a heart of rock and roll and it's tempered by his incredible jazz chops. It's that synergy that allows Thinking Out Loud to elevate itself into the realms of excellence. Highly recommended stuff.