This is a New Orleans dream of a group led by the voluble and talented Jeff Albert, a terrific composer, trombonist and music conversationalist. These hot and heavy live tracks, played by a basic sextet of shifting personnel (depending on the track), who blow their way through joyous arrangements on some very good compositions from Albert. The pace is brisk and post-bop challenging with orchestral colorations that recall some of the more incendiary Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop sessions and feature numerous outstanding solo turns.
The bulk of the record was recorded at the Hi-Ho Lounge on August 27, 2019 with Cyrus Nabipoor on trumpet, Brad Walker on alto sax, Nick Ellman on baritone sax, Jesse Morrow on bass and Simon Lott on drums and percussion. “Big Shorts” starts with an Afrobeat feel punctuated by Ellman’s booming baritone. This track combines Albert’s stated goal of a groove-oriented improvisational group with enough voicings to allow for creative ensemble arranging. Ellman takes the first solo followed by a section of group improvisation centered on the fulcrum of Albert’s trombone work, then an alto solo from Walker. Lott and Morrow are firing all the way through before Ellman brings them back to the theme. “Twin P” tiptoes off a tricky Monk-ish theme which shows off the whimsy in Albert’s orchestrations and features him on an excellent solo. “Segue” is a fanfare into the Morrow-driven “Oregano With Intent.”
The great baritone sax player Dan Oestreicher replaces Ellman on another session from the Hi-Ho on November 26 and on the title track, which was recorded at Constellation in Chicago with Mai Sugimoto on alto. At the Hi-Ho, Oestreicher charges into the breakneck “Unit of Resistance,” a powerful medium for his virtuoso playing on a Zappa-esque arrangement that also features outstanding bass work from Morrow in a call-and-response with the rest of the band. “Ash” is a thoughtful ballad that gives Albert a showcase for his rich tone and features another outstanding solo from Oestreicher.
The title track demonstrates Albert’s affinity with the Chicago improvisational jazz scene on another breakneck number kicked off by Nabipoor’s trumpet. Once again, the rhythm section surges and cracks the whip and Oestreicher does some heavy lifting on the baritone against a creative arrangement. Altogether this is a very successful and satisfying exploration of the possibilities inherent in contemporary jazz.
