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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easily Scott Colley's greatest achievement . . ., February 22, 2007
. . . which is saying quite a lot.
His previous disc, Initial Wisdom, and his generally more than creditable catalog of leader sessions, are casually trumped by this magnificent recording. Several things make this disc stand out, not least among them the inclusion of trumpeter Ralph Alessi in his full glory. Alessi, a player who, despite his prodigious chops, has struggled to find the right setting to display his unique approach and vision, here establishes himself as a player of great depth and authority, casually invoking post-Dave Douglas sensibilities and a thoroughly modern take on jazz trumpet.
Second, these tunes (all but one written by Colley) assay the broadest possible modern jazz aesthetic, always seeming to find apposite feelings and meanings to convey their varied sensibilities. Consistently graced with melodic and rhythmic richness, evoking but never slavishly adhering to well-known hard-bop and post-bop conventions, their creatively tuneful universe of discourse constantly reveals gems of rare beauty. Highlights include the stunningly diverse yet easily accessed title cut, an elusive samba-ish number that revels in deep structural beauty even as it unfolds ravishing melodicisms; the way-mysterioso opening cut, "Usual Illusion," with its mystical vibe brilliantly evoked by Craig Taborn's fluid pianisms and the bracing harmonies floated by saxist Dave Binney and Alessi; the anthemic "Strip Mall Ballet," with its ringing authority punctuated by the singing harmonica of Gregoire Maret, reigning maestro on his instrument; the heartfelt "From Within," featuring authoritative statements from both Taborn and Alessi; and the beguiling last cut, "Window of Time," a coolly loping roadtrip-ish number evoking (to me, at least) both the desert American Southwest and an Ayers-rock Australian Outback vibe.
This is music of huge presence and evocation, not to be missed.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Architect of a Sensational CD, January 27, 2008
Right from the start when you first hear the opening murmurs of the first track Usual Illusion you know you are in for a treat. Scott has created a compositional masterpiece and a modern jazz classic. Backed by a cast of some of the hottest young stars (Ralph Alessi, Craig Taborn, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Binney) Colley has created a CD that is drenched in mood, and filled with reflective, brilliant solos. The CD has an "Airy" quality and reminds me of Kenny Wheeler's Gnu High. However, this album surpasses that album by offering a greater variety of songs and more diversity of sounds. This variety is created largely by the various special guests that appear on the CD. Several of the tracks feature harmonica player Gregoire Maret. While normally I'm not a fan of the harmonica on a jazz CD, it really works here. The album also features a few "atonal" moments which also add to the diversity of the CD and wake the listener from the trance induced by the airy smoothness of most of the album. Essential listening for anyone interested in the youngest stars of Jazz circa 2007.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
neat, January 8, 2008
This is a finely polished, explorative illustration of modern (dominantly) acoustic jazz, showcasing more prominently the composer-arranger skills of in-demand bassist Scott Colley than his previous groovy album 'Initial Wisdom' (2002, Palmetto). Yet there is certain balance between brainy programme music and focused, inspired improvisations; this latter chunk mainly - but not exclusively, of course - from PMG member, mouth-harpist Gregoire Maret, trumpeter Ralph Alessi, with his sometimes strenously one-of-a-kind approach, keyboardist Craig Taborn whose performance is less than memorable this time, and David Binney who is featured here primarily on soprano saxophone. The interaction of the rhythm section, including another PMG member, drummer Antonio Sanchez is as examplary as it should be. Unfortunately, bandleader Colley could afford the luxury of having his good buddy, the by-now rightfully well-established guitarist Adam Rogers exiled to the substitution bench throughout the entire set, plucking at some subliminal or, as in the concluding section of the final piece, campfire chords in the background. Sure, Rogers had a field day on 'Initial Wisdom', still ... his trademark contribution to this project is sorely missed. From the linear notes about the artistic and/ spiritual message of the record: "Ultimately, it's a model for all who will hear (wherever/whenever) the sort of world possible to us in the future when skillful, imaginative, and purposeful people, listen to one another and act with a measure of decency, generosity, and wit." In case you're into this type of music, you might care to try out Drew Gress' (another bassist) '7 Black Butterflies' (2005, Koch-Premonition), with Taborn and Alessi aboard.
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