You can always rely on
George Colligan for hard-hitting and provocative yet fairly accessible jazz, and
Constant Source doesn't disappoint. The pianist is joined by
Mark Turner and
Jon Gordon on saxes,
Ed Howard on bass, and
Howard Curtis on drums. With the exception of a multi-meter reworking of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," all the tunes are originals. (The standard and
Colligan's ballad "Flint, Michigan" are listed incorrectly, in inverse order, on the back cover.) Highlights include the angular funk of "Pitchrider" and the pained melodicism of "My Eyes That Cried," both of which feature
Colligan on Fender Rhodes (an effective demonstration of the instrument's versatility). The tension-filled Latin theme of "Saga" and the extended, free-leaning "Void" represent some of
Colligan's best compositional thinking to date. The only thing that surpasses his writing is the white-hot playing from all involved.