Whether it’s strategizing a game of rock, paper, scissors, engaging in a friendly game of poker, or taking the musical risks that have made him one of the most lauded drummers in modern jazz, Dan Weiss relishes a game of chance. Weiss debuts a brand-new trio with an unorthodox process. Weiss enlists alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón and pianist Matt Mitchell, both longtime collaborators, to navigate his intricate compositions and to engage with the drummer in novel ways.  The new release, Even Odds, is due out in March via Cygnus Recordings.

Even Odds features two distinct approaches to the delicate balance of composition and improvisation, both offering their own unique challenges to the trio. Some pieces are “traditional” compositions in the sense of providing written material that the trio played and improvised upon together, reflecting on Weiss’ singular blend of influences, which draws on rhythmic concepts from jazz, Indian classical music,…