Bright Sun Outside 577 Records Matthew Putman, Hill Greene, Francisco Mela Review

Bright Sun Outside is the second album from the trio of Matthew Putman, Hill Greene, and Francisco Mela, released on Brooklyn, New York’s 577 Records. The first, Believe That Was Me (577 Records, 2026), was a wonderful album that showcased what the trio could do, bending the music into indescribable, experimental shapes of beauty that only this group of musicians could have possibly recorded.  On that album, Putnam’s piano melded seamlessly with Greene’s arco bass and the sophisticated percussive rhythms only Mela could provide, showcasing the trio’s vision and creativity. Not only are that vision and creativity on full display again on Bright Sun Outside, but they have pushed the boundaries a little further and crafted a sophomore outing as beautifully blinding and uncompromising as the title would suggest, not quite free jazz, not quite free improvisation, and not quite spiritual, but a potent mix of all three.

The nine-song album centers on three major pieces, each ranging from eight to just under 10 minutes. The first, “Airplane to the Sky,” sets the mood straight away. As Putman plays at the beginning, Greene’s bass fills the open spaces between the notes, pushing Putman on, almost playfully, to see if Greene can keep up, and he certainly does. Behind them, Mela adds percussive punctuation, as if finishing each sentence and waiting for the next to start. The interplay between the three is a marvel to behold. The following track, “Clouds,” is like an early morning storm. The piano and drums sound like rain beating down fast on your windows and rooftop in a musical downpour. As the track moves toward its conclusion, the sun begins to peek back out as the rain slows to a quiet drizzle.

The second major piece, “Darkness,” is just as its title implies: the darkness before the dawn. Greene’s arco bass is slow and mournful, perfectly accompanied by Putman’s piano. It’s cinematic, calling to mind the emotional tension of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s work, leaving one breathless with anticipation of what might happen next, along with an underlying sense of dread. Coincidentally, the next track is “Dawn,” and with it the sun begins to rise slowly above the horizon, signaling rebirth, the start of a new day, or perhaps the beginning of the trio’s next journey.

A child’s whistle opens the album’s third major piece, “Hidden Secrets.” The emotional centerpiece of the album, “Hidden Secrets” features more of Greene’s exceptional playing. It is devastatingly sad at first, but as Mela’s percussion slowly builds. Putman’s piano begins to build; the intensity grows until it becomes a free jazz manifesto, a storm, a hurricane, a tornado of notes raging close to the edge of total destruction.

Bright Sun Outside is as thrilling and exciting as it is dangerous and ever so sad and beautiful. A potent elixir that is to be imbibed as often as possible.