Named Jazz Album of the Year by readers of Downbeat Magazine, this double CD features tenor saxophonist
Joe Lovano during two appearances at the Village Vanguard recorded ten months apart. Other than the leader, the pair of quartets are completely different and they bring out two sides of
Lovano. The earlier session features the leader in a stimulating piano-less quartet, matching wits and creativity with flügelhornist
Tom Harrell. While the music is closer to
Ornette Coleman than to
Gerry Mulligan (to name two famous pianoless groups),
Harrell's tone more closely resembles
Chuck Mangione than
Don Cherry although fortunately he is much more inventive. The four
Lovano originals are adventurous and all of the musicians sound as if they are stretching themselves. The second disc showcases
Lovano in a more conventional quartet. The repertoire (just one original this time) covers
John Coltrane,
Thelonious Monk,
Miles Davis,
Charles Mingus, and
Gordon Jenkins and finds the tenorman displaying his roots in
Sonny Rollins. The rhythm section on the later date (pianist
Mulgrew Miller, bassist
Christian McBride, and drummer
Lewis Nash) is excellent at accompanying (rather than challenging)
Lovano. In both cases,
Joe Lovano is heard in prime form, making this an easily recommended two-fer. ~ Scott Yanow