Drummer/percussionist
Babatunde Lea's
Suite Unseen CD has plenty of variety and is wide-ranging. There are hard bop features for trombonist
Steve Turre and tenor saxophonist Richard Howell (with the front line sometimes recalling
the Jazz Crusaders of the 1960s), a display for
Turre's conch shells on another selection, some chanting, brief percussion interludes, and a five-part suite by
Lea that is spread throughout this disc rather than occurring in consecutive tracks. "Suite Unseen" would have been more effective if its movements had been placed together, but one can adjust the CD player to achieve that. The other nine numbers all fit in well and, with Glen Pearson contributing some
McCoy Tyner-inspired piano and steady work from bassist Geoff Brennan (Ron Belcher takes his place on one number) and percussionist Bujo Jones, this is a spirited and very musical outing. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow