The seeds for the Proverb Trio were planted when Cuban-born drummer/composer Dafnis Prieto and Washington D.C.–based poet and vocalist artist Kokayi first performed together at the 2004 Saalfelden Jazz Festival in Austria. Their immediate musical rapport inspired them to play several more duo concerts in Europe and New York, after which they were ready to expand into a jazz trio with the addition of keyboardist Jason Lindner, who had collaborated with Prieto in the drummer's Absolute Quintet. Since making its debut at the Whitney Museum in early 2009, the Proverb Trio has deepened its rapport and honed its sound in a series of New York club appearances. The primarily improvised interactions of Prieto's virtuosic and dynamic drumming, Kokayi's rapid-fire rapping and soulful singing, and Lindner's harmonic sophistication and daring sound explorations yield exhilarating results. Because the group creates advanced compositional structures on the spot, the music is full of surprises and takes a different, explosive shape every night, but always with the Proverb Trio's distinct personality and engaging spirit.
