Though chock full of
Osby's signature brand of dissonance,
The Invisible Hand is one of the altoist's mellower, more contemplative offerings. Its most novel aspect is the inclusion of pianist
Andrew Hill and guitarist
Jim Hall, two of jazz's fascinating elder statesmen.
Hill's piano style is fractured and fragmented, yet suffused with its own ornamental beauty.
Hall is a master of the understated, perfectly chosen phrase. Both have worked with
Osby on more than one occasion. But
The Invisible Hand is an historic first: prior to its recording,
Hill and
Hall had never played together. Disappointingly, the two are paired only on
Hill's "Ashes" and
Hall's "Sanctus"; otherwise, they appear separately. In fact,
Hall is present only on three of the album's ten tracks, giving listeners only the briefest glimpse of his talents.
Hill, appearing on six numbers, is utilized more effectively; the pianist is especially brilliant on
Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz."
Gary Thomas, an
Osby contemporary, overdubs multiple woodwinds to create thick orchestration on "Nature Boy," "With Son," and a couple of others. Bassist
Scott Colley and drummer Terri Lynne Carrington provide reliable rhythmic support throughout. But overall the record suffers from a discontinuity brought about by repeated personnel shifts. In a sense,
The Invisible Hand sounds like three different albums, and
Osby's production seems unnecessarily convoluted. ~ David R. Adler