Chad Taylor Trio - The Daily Biological (2020) [Official Digital Download]

As the debut recording of an ensemble rooted in deep and abiding friendships The Daily Biological is a creatively roiling conversation. The unusual trio of drums (Chad Taylor), saxophone (Brian Settles) and piano (Neil Podgurski) creates tough and engaging music that unfurls in kinetic conversational bursts.

Taylor is probably best known as co-founder of the Chicago Underground Duo with trumpeter Rob Mazurek (and the numerous Underground iterations. A professional on the Chicago scene from the age of 16, he’s worked with many of the most celebrated artists in improvised music including Fred Anderson, Pharoah Sanders, Nicole Mitchell, Matana Roberts, Ken Vandermark, Darius Jones, James Brandon Lewis, Jaimie Branch, Derek Bailey, Marc Ribot, and Peter Brötzmann, and has also led numerous acclaimed ensembles of his own.

The absence of a bass means all three players sometimes step into the low-end role. A musical problem to be solved “we all approached it differently,” Taylor says. “All of our tunes explore different ways to utilize a trio without a bass. You need to be really strong in your playing.”

Part of the reason the music feels so lived in is that Taylor traces his friendships with Settles and Podgurski back to their mid-1990s undergrad years in the New School in New York City. Years later, determined to start playing together again they set out creating a body of music for a specific grant. When the grant didn’t come through, Taylor felt so strongly about the budding ensemble that he spearheaded the quest for gigs and recording opportunities.