The fluid, sudden note runs and quiescent melodies of
Roy Campbell Jr.'s trumpet (Tazz Ensemble, Pyramid Trio) make for an unforgettable cachet to the opening 33-minute opus, "For the Glass Tear/After Evening's Orange." It is a complex and expansive trumpet fantasy supported reverently by
Daniel Carter on saxophone. This outfit stands on a decade-and-a-half of existence. A melding, a deep sense of communication developed over that time is exemplified in "Tears for Boy Wonder (For Winton Marsalis)." Here, bassist extraordinaire
William Parker (
David S. Ware,
William Parker's
Little Huey Orchestra, etc.) introduces a plaintive conversation between his instrument and
Campbell's. These half-dozen group improvisations are intelligent and moving examples of a stunning group vocabulary built on the kaleidoscope foundation of rhythm section
Parker and drummer Rashid Bakr, the two first together in
Cecil Taylor's outfit. Fascinating and richly woven,
Now! is a classic mosaic of the current state of the N.Y.C. free jazz scene. ~ Tom Schulte