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Barnes and Noble
Conversations
Current price: $16.99
Barnes and Noble
Conversations
Current price: $16.99
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In a dedication to the late bassist
,
returns to the recording studio armed with his no-compromise, no-nonsense way of playing the tenor saxophone. It's still as cutting-edge dour as ever, supported by the beautiful underpinnings of the trio, with
mostly on piano instead of saxophone as he is more widely heard, the peerless bassist
, and Afrocentric drummer/percussionist/leader
. As dictated by the art of improvisors, much ground is covered, and a track-by-track rundown is warranted. The introductory
is based on a floating piano, free-time excursion rife for
's tenor to express itself.
is a rambling swinger with
back to his tenor sax and
on piano, the latter embellishing the melody with some
-like flourishes.
is a drop-dead gorgeous, mid-tempo meditative piece, sans
, showcasing
's piano stylings. The 7/4 chant
with
on tenor sax plus bass and conga, has the collective group vocally echoing Harlem nocturnes about
, and the closer
is a definitive workout for
, a robust swinger where his more melodic but still pungent sax sound revels in its own free-spirited, outspoken glory. To say
is back would be shortsighted; he's always been around, especially as a teacher at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. This is a resolute affirmation of his powers, punctuating that he's still a vital force in the new music, as are his backup constituents on this very fine CD, a perfect introduction for the uninitiated and a must-buy for longtime fans. ~ Michael G. Nastos