Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Doug Curran and Jeffrey Crecelius
It was a great pleasure, as usual, to welcome Simon Barrow onto the YMP to help us talk about the new Pete Roth Trio album, Group Chat. Mark knows about jazz but I certainly don’t, so I relied on the other guys’ understanding of the genre but, as will become clear, it’s a bit of a mistake to try to categorise Bill Bruford’s new-ish collaboration with guitarist Pete Roth and bassist Mike Pratt. Roth says it’s ‘near-jazz, near-rock’ but listen without prejudice, as they say, and we will all enjoy this highly creative and collaborative endeavour.
Simon also shared some items in the chat and afterwards including:
Jam-Bot: Virtual Virtuosity and Embodied Performance
A Microtonal Poke in the Eye for AI?
With Feeling: Performance, Humanity and Technology
- Does it matter how we categorise this music?
- Is it all improvised?
- Is it enjoyable?
Our own Mark Anthony K’s latest release is now available on Bandcamp – Racing From Time, a great 4-track EP.
Yes – The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans – Yes Album Listening Guide
Available now!
YMP Patrons:
Producers:
- Joseph Cottrell
- Wayne Hall
- Jeffrey Crecelius
- Doug Curran
Patrons:
| Robert Nasir | Declan Logue | John Thomson |
| John Holden | Jamie McQuinn | Stephen Lambe |
| Chip Palmer | Brian Husvar | Michael O’Connor |
| Geoff Bailie | Lobate Scarp | Ronnie Neeley |
| Hogne Bø Pettersen | Chris Bandini | Michael Handerhan |
| Peter Hearnden | Scott Colombo | John Viola |
| Mark Slater | Robert Vandiver | Paul Tomei |
| Brian Sullivan | Todd Dudley | David Watkinson |
| Simon Barrow | Steve Scott | Geoffrey Mason |
| Steve Dill | Tim Stannard | David Pannell |
| Thomas DeVries | Bob Martilotta | Brian Harris |
| Brian Harris | Paul Hailes | Ray Riethmeier |
| Henrik Antonsson | P.T. Wilson | Terence Sadler |
| Steve Luzietti | Barry Gorsky | Steven Roehr |
| Craig Estenes | Martin Kjellberg | Gary Betts |
| Fergus Cubbage | Bill Whittaker | Aaron Steelman |
| Lind | Mark James Lang | Steve Rode |
| John Parry | John Cowan | Miguelbass |
| Fred Barringer | Rachel Hadaway | Dem |
| Steve Moss | Douglas Caldwell | Steve Perry |
| David Phyrillas |
Discover more from Yes Music Podcast
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
9 replies on “Group Chat by the Pete Roth Trio with Simon Barrow – 742”
A good chat as always gentlemen. I agree with Simon wholeheartedly, having seen them four times I actually love the show they put on.
I saw them with the stand in bass player also for one show, so two line-ups this far. Friends of friends who knew nothing about them went blind to a German show, and really enjoyed the evening.
I find it easy to listen to, I am absolutely not a jazz head, as you say, its maybe better not even mentioning the four letter word. Part of the joy is the small size venues, being feet away, you listen completely, focus, and the audience are of old, polite enough to not be phone based as you are so engrossed. I am in front of Bill in the DVD front row, to see him at work using all his techniques, the drum loosening, the hit position, the seat shift, and weight of the various drum sticks, live is definitely were it is at.
A quiet night in is required to gain all you can from the music. I also think Yes fans should seek it out, intelligent music that you know has had a great deal of preparation, thought, I can’t wait for the next show.
Hey Kevin, this week’s episode hasn’t popped up on my Apple Podcast feed yet. Can certainly access it here but just wanted to see of any other 5-percenters having the same issue?
Thanks for spoting this, Mike. I have fixed the rss now. The images were causing it not to update. #annoying
Managed to see the Trio live in Liverpool on Friday 23rd October 2026. An excellent show which was thoroughly enjoyed both by my wife and myself. Not sure what all the hesitation is around the Jazz label (maybe it doesn’t put bums on seats) to my ears it’s Jazz. Albeit leaning into blues at times in playing style, think more John Scolfield than Pat Metheny.
One point that Simon made which was right on the money is this is a trio of equals. When the members were introduced near the beginning of the set Bill, understandably received the loudest applause. When there were introduced again towards the end the appreciation from audience was equal for each member.
I was sitting in the front row and could see the bass and guitar pedals being used extensively but no looping that I could see.
Hi,
My partner and I were on the front row too , slightly right of centre last Friday in Liverpool… yes definitely no looping whatsoever .
I agree with you Gary Betts…it certainly is Jazz …no idea why this label is a problem for some progressive rock fans.
We saw them last year at Band on the Wall Manchester, they were excellent, this time a year later they were different again but still enthralling . There is a large amount of improvisation during the shows and that is what makes it interesting for the band and hopefully the audience.
The album Group Chat is very good, but I really must recommend all YMP listeners make an effort to go and see them live….you will not be disappointed.
We had bumped into Pete Roth and Mike Pratt after the BEAT show in London over the summer, it was lovely that Pete remembered us on Friday night , ( probably because my partner is quite striking …Michelle has big frizzy Red hair)
After the Friday show we chatted with Pete, Mike and Bill.
On Saturday night my daughter and her partner saw the trio in Durham and they enjoyed it too. They got chatting with Bill and he remembered what I had told him about my daughter. Both were ” starstruck ” by Mr. Bruford’s drumming.
Jazz is a very wide ranging genre, but musically it is probably the greatest artistic achievement the USA has given to the world…from Duke Ellington to Pharaoh Sanders to Weather Report it is exceptional music…..anyway I love most Jazz.
I wish I had got to chat with you Gary on Friday night .
All the best
Gary I think you were one seat away from us. My wife admired your partner’s boots. I wish we had spoken, we British are too reserved sometimes.
You are probably right about being reserved, I only spoke to two people during the gig and one of them was my partner !
We are seeing the Trio at Band on the Wall in Manchester next month and are taking a friend, Hopefully there will be other YMP listeners there, perhaps you and your wife.
Thanks again Kevin, Simon and Mark for a great discussion.
I’m a lifelong jazz lover as well as progressive music, and one of the radio stations where I was a DJ changed from rock to 24 hour jazz in the 80s. So for 2 years I had a jazz rock fusion show-and I played “Sound Chaser” by Yes, which got a big response on phone calls asking Who the Hell Was That?!
It’s a shame that some people dismiss jazz and won’t attend a jazz show, or what they think is jazz music or a jazz show. From what I’ve heard & seen on their cd & dvd set that I have, the Pete Roth Trio play jazz but with rock and blues. Like progressive rock, there are many types or categories of jazz. If you like it, enjoy it. I certainly do.
I am a jazz-head as well as a prog-head and would love to see this group. The recording sounds like music similar to the world of Scofield, Metheny, etc. I was also reminded of the Steve Howe trio though Roth is more bluesy/modally based than Steve typically is. Thoroughly enjoyable, I advise all to open your minds and hearts to it!