Thomas Milovac’s Lustre Trio release album of pure improvisation, ‘Praxis’

The Lustre Trio Credit: Adam Goldman

“In the band, we have a rule that we never talk about what we’re going to play, and each performance is a new set of spontaneous compositions.” That’s what Thomas Milovac says about his latest combo, the Lustre Trio. It’s also the spirit of jazz in its purest form.

As both player and label boss, Milovac is a leading force on the experimental edge of Orlando’s jazz landscape. Even with a constant presence between his various playing engagements (both solo and ensemble) and label releases, he’s managed to yield yet another project in the Lustre Trio, which has been a steady live act with a monthly residency at The Falcon for the past eight months.

Now, the trio of Milovac (Bass IV), Zach Muth (guitar) and Ashton Bailey-Gould (drums) have captured their extemporaneous lightning in a bottle and are about to release a debut studio album. “The album is called Praxis because it is that concept put into action,” says Milovac.

On June 20, Milovac’s label, Cosmo Sonic Collective, will release the Lustre Trio’s seven-track Praxis LP. Though it’s a work of pure improvisation, this isn’t the kind of free-jazz freakout you might be imagining or perhaps even fearing. Praxis reveals this trio as players of both skill and synchronicity. For one, they’re adept with their interplay, each player as dedicated to supporting the others as they are to their own solos. Furthermore, they’re anchored by control, especially in the rhythm section, who maintain structure without stricture.

The album’s centerpiece is the titular opening suite, a three-part odyssey totaling nearly a half-hour that shapeshifts from freeform kinetics to cerebral space to psychedelic treks. In between nebulas of improv are salient passages that groove (“Shake Down”), drive (“In the Simulacrum Machine”) and even stoke near-metal tension (“Pit Ponies”).

This album is the document of an ensemble harnessing the electric spontaneity of extempore playing while proving that pure musical freedom need not be a wanton free-for-all. It’s a testament to the Lustre Trio as a true band and not just an assemblage of individuals. Through their intuitive rapport, the shared experience between the players translates into one with the listener as well.

Praxis will be available Saturday on streaming platforms and on CD via Cosmo Sonic Collective’s Bandcamp. The next evening will be the Lustre Trio’s release show with Flora Flora & Extinct Plants and Soulship.

6 p.m. Sunday, June 21, Casselberry Arts Center, $20.