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Essence of the Blues in a Very Strange Context

Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 04/25/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The thing I like about jazz is its best practitioners take it places you'd never expect. This is the blues played by four baritone saxes (with bass clarinets occasionally in the mix) augmented by the great Kahil El'Zabar on percussion and Lee Person on traps. The playing is nothing short of astonishing--harmonic and rhythmic gymnastics you wouldn't believe.Young veterans James Carter and Patience Higgins really stand out. I'm not familiar with Alex Harding, but since the ensemble playing shines, he must also be accounted a top player as well.Sasa--The Here and Now, the last cut and perhaps the most jaw-dropping number, illustrates both the appeal and the problem with the approach taken by Bluiett. It's him all alone, and he blows some righteous bari, but it requires quite a commitment on the part of the listener, which is well rewarded by close listening. One wonders, however, how many people are willing to make that kind of commitment. Thus, one star taken off for needless esotericism."